*NOTE* I’m changing the names of the kids in this post.

This evening while I was making dinner I asked C about school. She got quiet for a moment and then said “Jenny and Molly were mean to me today.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“Well, we were at lunch and I was trying to talk to them about Bobby and they kept putting their hands over their ears and wouldn’t listen to me. And then I started crying and told them it wasn’t nice. And then they said sorry, but they said it in a very mean way.”

“What were you saying about Bobby?”

“I was telling them that they should be friends with him. He doesn’t have any friends and that makes him sad. I’m his only friend. They don’t like him because he used to hit people when he was five. But he’s six now and he doesn’t do that anymore but they can only remember when he was five. He doesn’t hit people any more. And he’s my PFFF (BFF) and he’s never hit me. I just want to tell them that they should be nice to him and not make fun of him and be his friend.”

This little girl.

I’ve met the boy she is talking about and he is a sweet kid, a little hyper (but what kindergarten boy isn’t?!?) and he thinks the world of C.

I was so touched that she stuck up for her friend when her peers were picking on him. It would have been easier for her to go along with them, or even just stay silent (after all, she is a shy kid.) But she chose to stand up for him and stand her ground. As we discussed it, I told her how proud I was of her for making the choice to not say bad things about her friend and to confront someone when they were doing it. Too many people in history have been marginalized because no one stood up and said it was wrong, so I am so proud of C for doing the hard thing. And if she is doing it at 5 years old against 5 year old bullies, then I hope she is doing it when she’s 15 and her bullies are even bigger!

Good job, C! You were a good friend today!