I remember feeling so proud of my second daughter the day she came home from school and said “Mum, Kyle was on the bus and he said that im ugly. I dont know why he said that because im not. Guess he is just sad” ….. she was 7 yrs old.

What a brilliant response from this mum. And so so true, you can’t make people like you, and no doubt your kids won’t like everyone, so just learn to not care. Simple

Being able to choose your friends but not your relatives is so true. I contact my relatives regularly just to say hello and make sure everybody is OK. They only time they ever contact me is when they want something…..and they never want to compromise at all. One day they are going to get a huge shock when I have to say no for some reason. (I have flatly refused once – when I wasn’t well – what’s more they knew I had been to the Dr. and I don’t go unless I really need to).

I love this. It is perfect

Lovely.

Great explanation!

A fantastic post and teaching moment. We go through life coming into contact with people we like and don’t like and that’s okay. We often say you can choose your friends but not your family! So we need to live in a world where we manage relationships. I tell my son once he enters the workplace he will come across people he just won’t like or fit with, but you need to manage things for the purpose of work. I love this Mum’s advice.

Important to have these conversations about friendships and the reality of friendships.

I had pretty much the same conversation with my eldest daughter when she told me someone doesn’t like her. They didn’t tease her or were mean to her in any way. I also asked her if there is someone she didn’t like for no particular reason. It’s part of life. Who cares if someone doesn’t like you. As long as you like yourself that is the main thing.

Kudos

In this day and age with so many people being offended by a word, an expression and the school system no longer having the authority to advise of lice to one student in particular (all the rage during my school years, never offensive and always discreet) it is so refreshing to hear another parent speaking to their child as i would.

Not everyone is going to like you, who cares? As long as you stick to who you are, people who deserve you will be in your life.

My eldest (now 21) was constantly bullied by a student younger than her. I gave her all the right advice just like this mother. My daughter tried but it didn’t work. In the end I went to the bully direct (random meeting, i didn’t seek her out) and explained to her the exact same thing.

You may not like my daughter (i do she replied) but there is no need to act the way you are. If you don’t like her that’s fine, leave her alone. How would you feel if it was you????

Said child stopped all bullying and tried to befriend my daughter but my daughter wasn’t interested due to her prior behaviour.

I did what i had to do and found the solution by being honest with each child.
We need to advocate honesty, not feelings that lead to animosity

That mum has such good advise.

Very true indeed !

Very true. No one is ever going to be liked by everybody and being a good kind person is more Important