If you walk behind them. . . Be kind.

“If you walk behind them they can’t make fun of you.”

This is what my 6 year old told his dad and I.

He walks behind everyone on his way home from school.

My heart broke hearing these words coming from my sweet son but I was not surprised.

My son has been bullied for the last year and yet he still chooses to be kind.

When your child is bulling of my son for whatever reason, he will still go out of his way to include your child and to be kind to them.

He will play with them, invited them and share with them even if they bully him. Almost every time.

Why?

Because my goal is raise him up in the way he should go so later he won’t depart from it.

It means that as a parent it’s my job to coach him and set an example for him. When he is faced with this same decision now and later in life, he chooses to be kind.

Even when he has been bullied to tears.

I’ve seen it time and time again.

There have been moments when children have made fun of the way he dresses or called him names. There have even been times they have taunted and teased him to his breaking point.

He comes to us hurt but he wipes his tears away and chooses to be kind anyway.

This is a concept lost on many but something my 6 year old understands to his core. It’s so easy to be negative and mean right back. Our reactions creates a chain and we are responsible for that.

My son chooses to show kindness instead of hate. It’s a strength I admire so much in him. Imagine if more people did this?

To be honest, it’s sometimes frustrating. But how can I be frustrated at my son who is just doing what we taught him and what his heart tells him to do?

First, your child should know better and you should be held accountable as their parents for allowing them to be bullies.

Second, I want him to stand up for himself which he does occasionally. Even then he is still so kind but he is being firm on how he deserves to be treated.

Third, I want my son to know that you do not have to surround yourself with that kind of behavior. He shows such kindness even when walking away but it’s frustrating when he shows kindness and still gets bullied over and over.

We are working on these teaching moments but there he is, with his sweet soul being kind to those that hurt him.

It’s the most beautiful thing to witness as hard as it is to deal with.

I don’t know what the world will be like when my son is old enough to be on his own. I don’t know what everyone else’s actions will be toward him. I do know this, he will not be like everyone else.

I know that right now he is walking behind them so they don’t make fun of him but soon he will be catching up to show them kindness.

I hope and pray he always chooses to be kind, always.

Megan Hardwick

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