Mood:

Topic: Lauren
It happened once before but back then it wasn't clear if the looks were due to the bleph. This time, however, there was no mistaking it.
During our trip to the pediatric opthamologist yesterday, while Lauren's eyes dilated, she and I were sitting in the children's area of the office watching a Tom and Jerry video. In the area with us was another little girl whose mother was out in the main waiting area. The little girl asked, "Why are her eyes like that?". I gave what I thought was an appropriate answer given the girl was probably only 3, if not just barely 4 years old. I simply explained that the lids didn't open all the way. I was expecting her to go about her business but instead I heard, "I don't like that girl because of her eyes". I was shocked and immediately told her, not angrily but firmly, that that was not a nice thing to say. She repeated it. I again told her that wasn't very nice. She repeated it again! Then I said, "You don't even know her. You can't say that if you don't even know her. Besides, it's not a very nice thing to say and you shouldn't say it." Again she started, "But I don't like..." so I shook my head and interrupted saying, "It doesn't matter. It's not a nice thing to say and you shouldn't say it." and then I turned away.
I was tempted to go out in the main area and have a little talk with her mother, but I wasn't sure exactly what to say. How do you go tell someone you've never met before that her daughter needs to be taught not to make such comments? What would I say? "I just wanted you to know that your daughter made a hurtful comment regarding my child"? That feels a bit too much like tattling or even whining. "I think it would be a good opportunity for you to teach her to consider other people's feeling before speaking"? That feels like I'm telling her she's not doing a good job parenting her child. Or maybe these comments would be fine...fine as long as they could be delivered in the right tone. While I was close, I don't think I was quite up to that task.
Posted by lifewithkids
at 12:01 AM CDT
Updated: Friday, 27 October 2006 11:33 AM CDT