Dear Editor:
I am a mom. I am a parent who loves my child. Every day, I pack my child a lunch and send them on their way for a day of fun and education at school.
My child’s hopes are simple. Please let this be the year that the bullying stops! Let this be the year that I’m not judged by my classmates. Let this be the year that I’m included. Let this be the year someone takes a second to see what a great friend I can be if you just give me a chance.
My hopes, as a parent are a little more complicated. Please, let this be the year that we don’t have tearful conversations on a daily basis. Let this be the year others don’t find my child’s weaknesses and exploit them for their own fun. Please, let my child be who they are without fear. Just please, let them be included.
This letter is to you.
If you’ve never made fun of someone for the way they dress, or cracked jokes about someone who is overweight, or dealing with a pimple breakout….If you have always tried to include people and treated your schoolmates with kindness – you pass. But I’m positive most of you failed.
Everyone deserves a chance. The chance to be who you are meant to be without judgement.
This letter is to the kids who have decided recess is more fun if you are a group of three instead of four. It is to the kids who think their words don’t hurt and their actions don’t have any consequence.
Somewhere down the road my child will have to make a decision. After years of fighting for acceptance, have they had enough? And what does enough look like? Do they give up and disappear into the background? Far too many families have had to deal with the heartbreak of children who can’t take it anymore – and end their own life.
I see a bright future for my child. I see a successful life full of joy and love and happiness. But I need your help.
I need you to stop.
The next time you have nasty words ready to go….stop.
Or when the teacher assigns a group project and you really don’t want that kid in your group…stop.
Or at lunchtime you want to tell that kid that you really don’t have room for one more in your game of tag…..stop.
You putting a stop to it is the only way my child has any hope of a different tomorrow.
I imagine what the day will look like when my child can come home from school and be full of excitement, because for the first time someone stopped and gave them a chance.
Please, be that someone.
T. Duliba
Edmonton
