Posted by Jenny in Florida on 12:22 Sep 13
In Reply to: A little rant (ok not so little ) posted by Nita
. . . I'd do some or all of the following:
1. I'd talk to whoever is in charge -- pastor, religious education director, Sunday school teacher(s) -- and make sure they are aware of what is going on and that you are unhappy with the effect it is having on your child.
2. I'd have a major heart to heart with my own child and explain that people have no control over how much intelligence they are born with, but we DO have control over how we behave and how we treat other people. I would make sure that my child walked away understanding that the other boy is a brat and no someone whose opinions should matter to us.
3. If neither of these things were significantly helpful and the situation continued to make my child unhappy, I'd quit putting him in it, and I'd make very sure I explained to all of those folks whose assistance I had tried to enlist before exactly WHY my child would not be there anymore. (I might even put that in writing.)
As for restoring your faith, I don't know how much I can do at a distance, but I can assure you that my kids are about as "special" as they come and would NEVER treat another child the way this boy does your son. My kids are being raised to understand that their "gifts" are only as important as what they choose to do with them and that being a good person is at least as important as being smart.
And, while I certainly emphathize with the impulse, slapping either the child or the adults probably isn't the way to go. (Although no one would blame you for closing your eyes, breathing deeply and fantasizing about it!)
Hang in there. Remember: The proof is in the pudding.
--Jenny