Seeing It From Both Sides
When something happens at Chasity's school, I really try to see it from both sides. I try to see it as a mom and as a teacher. Naturally, I see it more as a mom when Chasity is involved.
Last week, Chasity came home from school saying that a girl in her class had been picking on her. The girl was telling Chasity "I'm smarter than the whole class. You don't know anything." "I have my own phone and computer. Your parents don't love you if they don't give you things." So I told Chasity that she needed to let the teacher know when things like that happened. Also, I told her that if the girl did it again I would let the teacher know.
The MAIN thing I said was that her dad and I love her enough to share our phone and computer with her. We don't try to buy her love by giving her things that she doesn't need right now. I also promised her that as soon as she needed her own computer...we'd get her one. When she needed (or we thought she was ready for) a phone, she would get one of those too.
She seemed fine with that and everything went back to normal.
Today she came home saying that two little boys were picking on her.
She said that they told her "You can't sing because you're white." "You are whiter than the sand on the beach." "You are too white to be in the sun." "Your head is smaller than an eraser and you don't have anything in it."
So I was mad! Now.... I have friends who are from all racial backgrounds. Chasity does too. So my next statement is only for clarification. These boys were "brown" according to Chasity. She thinks one has two African-American parents. She thinks the other has a white parent and an African-American parent. The only reason that I said anything about that is because if Chasity had said something about their coloring, it would have been a huge deal and she would have been "racist".
So.... without calling out the specific boys, I did call the teacher. I told her where Chasity said the boys sit. Chasity told me their names, but I never told the teacher that. I told the teacher that I try to see things from both sides. I understand that with the kid:teacher ratio she can't watch/listen to every single kid at every minute. I know that things will happen.
The teacher and I had a good conversation. She is going to talk to the whole class tomorrow. She is also going to do some seat rearranging.
We'll see how it goes.
I'm hoping this will end soon!
Last week, Chasity came home from school saying that a girl in her class had been picking on her. The girl was telling Chasity "I'm smarter than the whole class. You don't know anything." "I have my own phone and computer. Your parents don't love you if they don't give you things." So I told Chasity that she needed to let the teacher know when things like that happened. Also, I told her that if the girl did it again I would let the teacher know.
The MAIN thing I said was that her dad and I love her enough to share our phone and computer with her. We don't try to buy her love by giving her things that she doesn't need right now. I also promised her that as soon as she needed her own computer...we'd get her one. When she needed (or we thought she was ready for) a phone, she would get one of those too.
She seemed fine with that and everything went back to normal.
Today she came home saying that two little boys were picking on her.
She said that they told her "You can't sing because you're white." "You are whiter than the sand on the beach." "You are too white to be in the sun." "Your head is smaller than an eraser and you don't have anything in it."
So I was mad! Now.... I have friends who are from all racial backgrounds. Chasity does too. So my next statement is only for clarification. These boys were "brown" according to Chasity. She thinks one has two African-American parents. She thinks the other has a white parent and an African-American parent. The only reason that I said anything about that is because if Chasity had said something about their coloring, it would have been a huge deal and she would have been "racist".
So.... without calling out the specific boys, I did call the teacher. I told her where Chasity said the boys sit. Chasity told me their names, but I never told the teacher that. I told the teacher that I try to see things from both sides. I understand that with the kid:teacher ratio she can't watch/listen to every single kid at every minute. I know that things will happen.
The teacher and I had a good conversation. She is going to talk to the whole class tomorrow. She is also going to do some seat rearranging.
We'll see how it goes.
I'm hoping this will end soon!
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