Growing up On the Bus

I rode on a bus to school.

It was a pretty full bus when I was little

it got smaller as I got older

I learnt a lot things on the bus

some not so good

and some valuable 

but

not so fun lessons.

We have had a few

"incidents"

since the girls have started riding the bus.

I am going to be vague

hopefully really

vague

I don't like public airing of "laundry"

so to speak

BUT

I am sure most of us have either

-been through this 

-did this to other people

-have had someone we know go through it

There hasn't just been one incident

but 

a few

and they aren't horridly bad

like I want to jump on the bus 

and terrorise the person responsible 

(although when I had my bus riding lessons 

I had visions of my dad beating people up 

and it did make it much more tolerable)

anyways

not that bad

BUT

it's hard

to know WHAT to say

except some people 

are mean

and stupid.

But honestly that is as far as my productive advice goes

My go to in situations is just to grin and bare it.

that's what I do

I smile, ignore, and move on.

BUT

I have an abundance of

self-confidence

enough that it can take a bit of a bruising

It's much more difficult 

when it is your kid.

How do you explain to a child

THAT

sometimes

the reasons people are mean and stupid 

(because I am mature ;) )

are because

they are jealous

or

maybe things aren't good at home

or

they had a bad day at school

or 

whatever

and 

they shouldn't take it out on you

but

sometimes that's the only outlet they have learnt.

I talked about how she felt

We talked about why it is important

to express yourself appropriately

how words can hurt

how we don't want to cause other people to feel that way

I asked her what she wanted to do

she shrugged

(I panicked)

I told her what I do

and why it works for me

We talked about how it's important to know

when to stick up for yourself

and then

she says

one of her friends just invited her to sit with her instead.

I am sure this won't be the last incident

I am positive that it is only going to get harder

I hope that the girls will have good friends 

that can stick up for one another

I hope that the things they endure

don't damage them

but

can make them stronger

I just wish it didn't start so early.