The other day I picked up my grandson William from his summer robotics class. When I asked him how class went, with a tear in his eye he said “ I don’t want to go back tomorrow.”
“Why not?, I asked.
He related how things were going well until one boy started making fun of William’s ideas. William confessed he was hurt. “Are you a wuss?” I asked to which he answered “NO!”
Me “Did he break your arm?”
Wm. “No.”
Me “Did he break your leg?”
Wm. “No.”
Me “Did he hit you?”
Wm. “No.”
Me “Well then it seems the hurt is in your head. He did not hurt you. You are hurting yourself n your brain. Remember you should never be ashamed of not knowing something. Only be ashamed of not wanting to learn. When he does that again I want you to say to him
Are you so insecure that the only way you can raise yourself is by putting people down. If you were really secure, you would not have to try to prove you are better than others, you would know it inside and not have to prove it.
The next day after class William was his normal self. I asked him how it went and if the other boy belittled him again? The boy did. William responded as instructed.
“What happened?”
“He started to cry and walked away. Everybody followed me to snack time instead of him.”
“Did you talk to him again?”
“No.”
“Well you should have. You don’t want to be like him by doing the same thing – making yourself feel better by hurting others. Next time explain you would be his friend, but friends don’t hurt each other. The choice is his.”