Kindness Goes a long way...

This morning I was watching the Today show (which NEVER happens). They were interviewing two mothers who recently lost their daughters (best friends) to suicide... Both girls left notes and pointed at bullying as part of their reason for the double suicide. The girls were only in 8th grade. Two lives cut short due to the words of others? It seems unfathomable as an adult... But as a girl I remember those days and how much words and the cattiness of girls affected my self esteem. As the mom of 3 girls I worry about the impressions the world is sending my girls and do my best to counteract the negatives the world feeds them. My oldest is only in 3rd grade and I already see that one group of girls forming... The "mean girls" if you want to call them. In the day and age of Hannah Montana, iCarly, and such little girls seem to be trying to be so grown up at such a young age. I've tried and continue to try to teach my girls the importance of their words and actions. That kindness goes a long way. I've always told them it's never ok to build yourself up by putting someone else down... Even if everyone else is doing it. Go against the flow when the flow is wrong. But back in the day I remember how hard it can be to be the example and how that can negatively affect oneself... Putting yourself in the line of fire per say. So the question I am left with is when will we as parents take the blinders off and stop the "no not my child" mentality? When will teach our daughters (and sons) the importance of their words and actions? When will we teach them that kindness does matter and that standing up for someone else is worth the wrath of their peers? Bullying is nothing new and its been happening for a long time. I realize its not going to disappear completely , but it would be wonderful if our children could stop for a moment and see the affect that their words can have on someone else. I am hopeful for a change.

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