Growing Up is Hard to do

Last night Dave took Tristyn to volleyball while I stayed home and finished laundry, washed the dinner dishes and got our boys to bed. He called me during the practice a little upset at how Tristyn was acting. She wasn't really into it and it kind of made us question whether she is really serious about playing volleyball or not. We are spending way too much money to have her not enjoy it. At 9:15 they came in the house and I could tell that his little pep talk did not go over very well. She was in tears and he was really mad. After about a half hour of her texting me we got to the bottom of what was going on with her. I went in to her room and talked to her. She said that there are a couple of boys that are mean to her at school. She actually said there are a lot of kids that are just plain mean! She is growing up and her body is changing along with her skin. Her face is broken out and I guess these boys stare at her face and make fun of her.

It is so hard to hear about this because I had the same problems when I was her age. I rode the bus with Indians from the reservation and they would spit spit wads in my hair and throw things at me. My dad threatened to get on the bus and beat the crap out of the boys and the bus driver said he would call the cops if he even tried to get on. I was "pizza face" and kids would play "dot to dot" on my face. I wish I knew why kids were so Cruel. I look back at some of the kids that were picked on when I was in school and wonder what has happened to them. Are they still around and how are they doing? There was one boy when I was in Junior High that had a really rough time. A group of about 25 guys would pin him up against a wall and throw balls at him. I can still see the terrified look on his face.  I look back and wonder where the teachers were? Why would nobody help him? One of my biggest regrets is not standing up for him. Why did I not have the courage to try to protect him. I think about him a lot and hope that some good things have come into his life. The world is a scary place and I just hope that we can teach our kids to be kind to others and hope that others will follow their example.