New Backpack and Life Lessons

The end result was a new purple Hannah Montana backpack. This was my desperate attempt at "making it all better" and I DO realize how materialistic my effort is. I know that life lesson opportunities, real advice, and a warm hug are all such better responses, but in the heat of the moment, my response was "let's go to Target!" So, here is the story. My AB decided that she wanted to take her big brother's Speed Racer backpack to school today. This was her solution to her own Camp Rock messenger bag being dragged along the sidewalk so often that it wore a hole in the bottom. She was so excited to come across the blue and black Speed Racer, thought it would be so cool to take. And it was, cool because it is cool (if you are 6 or 8 and love the movie and the cars!). But also cool because she is a "girly" girl but she is so confident that she feels good taking a "boy" backpack to school. You go girl! That is what I said. UNTIL, I pick her up from school and she comes running to me, lower lip out, chin trembling, eyes welling with tears, she is so desperately trying not to cry. But, even at my age to this very day, if I am really upset about something, the sound of my mom's voice brings the buckets of tears to the surface. That special "mommy effect" hit AB today. "They all made fun of me," she says. "Who?" I ask. "My friends" she says "they laughed and called it a "boy" backpack, they said it was Ben's not mine. They laughed and laughed and it really made me sad!" How does any mom not over react to their own child's sadness. Is there any mommy in the world that does not feel just a little sick to their stomachs when their baby is hurt? I know how many things I should have said, things like: you like that backpack, if they make fun of you then they are not your real friends. I had in my head many "comebacks" she could have used. I did end up saying all of these things, sharing all of the wisdom that I have to offer, but only after I hugged her tightly and promised I would take her right to Target to pick out any new backpack she wanted. (That will show those girls, right?). So, the backpack is a big hit, already full of pink pencils, lip gloss, and a few other Kindergarten girl necessities. The wisdom, the life lessons, the advice? Not such a hit; listened to, but not fully appreciated as I'd hoped! Still, I did my duty! I made my baby feel better, I bought her a new totally awesome girly backpack, and I told her what I thought of her friends and their comments. My hope? That she will always remember how her "friends" made her feel, that she will never make another little girl feel the way she felt, that some of the things I imparted to her will stick! I also hope that she won't always take things so personally, that she will stand up for herself and be confident despite criticism from others, that she will do what she likes regardless of peer pressure, that she will stand up for others, that she will always stay her amazing self! I'll keep my finger's crossed!