Sometimes it Sucks...

We're now facing some of the true agonies of raising a child, especially a multiracial child. Seems there are a few kids on the bus who like to poke fun at Haley, for one reason or another. First it was the kids who told her she was dumb. I wasn't aware of it until one night when we were working on sight words (words you recognize just by seeing them; you don't need to sound them out). She has been having a hard time with those, and that night was no different. Finally, she started crying in frustration and said "Those kids on the bus were right. I am dumb." I absolutely wanted to throttle those kids. Kelsee and I, of course, had to remind Haley that she is just in kindergarten and is still learning. I told her that just because someone says something doesn't make it true. We reminded her that she has a vocabulary twice that of most kids her age and more than many kids older than her. We also took her through her addition table, which she does well at. When we were done, she was feeling much better. I still want to throttle those kids. Then yesterday she tells me about some second or third grader on the bus who calls her "Brownie". I asked her why she called her that, and Haley says it's because she has brown hair and brown eyes. I asked Haley if this girl calls other brown hair, brown eye kids that, and Haley says she doesn't, that it's Haley's "special name". By the way, Haley is likely one of the only multiracial children on the bus. I'm POSITIVE she's not the only brown-hair, brown-eye kid... Anyway, she told me that sometimes she's being nice when she calls Haley that, but other times she's being mean. Uh, what the...??? OK. I'm so glad my daughter has help working on her self-esteem every afternoon on her way home from school. Did I mention I want to throttle those kids?