When I picked up my son from school, I stood next to the group of moms who flank the front door of the classroom to surround their kids when they emerge from school.
I overheard a little girl run up to her mom crying. Through her sobs, she pointed and claimed a little boy threw sand in her eyes.
Her mother responded promptly saying, honey that just means he likes you!
Interesting advice. I think she intended to frame a challenging situation positively.
However, what she was communicating with her daughter is:
The boys that like you will show it by being mean to you
Gravitate towards the mean people; they like you
The way to show people you care is to throw stuff at them( or be mean)
People show you your value by cutting you down, undermining or hurting you
Although well intended, her advice sets her daughter up to fail. She was trying to frame the situation as a positive one, yet it teaches her daughter poor habits and denies a great learning opportunity.
How to deal with conflict( and not shy away from it) is one of the most valuable lessons you can teach a girl.
The world has evolved a lot; young girls are no longer taught be quiet and polite, don’t ask questions and do as your told.
Instead, we need to teach them to stand up for what they believe, voice their opinion and push back when they feel mistreated.
Here is a great Female Motivational Speaker who talks on Bullying..
