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It is easy to overlook
suffering of others, especially when maturity and compassion have not yet developed. But as an adult, if you knew your child was taunting and teasing another classmate, would you ignore situation and chalk it up to "kids will be kids," or take time to correct situation?
Maybe little girl in front row can't concentrate on her schoolwork because her parents are fighting. And boy in corner is withdrawn and tired because he spends his nights taking care of an alcoholic parent. Or maybe overweight girl they laugh at is using food to bury her secrets and sorrows.
Although harsh realities of social injustice are too heavy for a young child to comprehend, it is never too early to encourage empathy and compassion. If your child is quick to tease or judge, remind him that making fun of others is never cool. Ask him to put himself in other child's shoes and just try to imagine how it would feel if someone made fun of him.
Remind your child about first day of school when slate was clean and everyone started with an "A". And encourage him to reach out and give his classmate another chance as if he held a magical bottle marked "open when necessary" filled with fresh starts and good behavior.
Patricia Gatto and John De Angelis are the authors of MILTON'S DILEMMA, the tale of a lonely boy’s magical journey to friendship and self-acceptance. As advocates for literacy and children's rights, the authors speak at schools and community events to foster awareness and provide children with a safe and healthy learning environment. For more information, please visit Joyful Productions at http://www.joyfulproductions.com
