There is a bully in Tanner's preschool class. Every day, we hear tales of this boy and the ways he has hurt members of the class. I am not sure that he means to hurt the other children. But he spends a lot of time in time out and I know the teachers are really trying to direct his energy toward good things.
Sunday night, after reading stories, Tanner said a prayer. In his prayer he prayed for this boy, that he would learn to be nice and that he would be gentle with everyone. When his prayer was over and we opened our eyes, he looked at me with his big brown eyes and asked if it was Ok to pray that this boy would be nice.
The following Monday, Tanner came home from school and told me that the bully was still a bully and his prayer didn't work. I told him to give it time - and was happy that night when Tanner included him in his prayers again. I hope he will always have that kind of faith.
Note:
I wrote the above several weeks ago. Since then, Tanner had his preschool graduation. During the graduation the bully kicked Tanner in the toe and would have kicked him in the shin if my friend, Melissa hadn't jumped out of her seat and removed the boy from Tanner. It made Tanner's praying for him all the more heart-warming. Maybe enemy was not too strong a word. It is funny that we ask children to do so many things that we don't do as adults - like share toys. And call people who kick you your friends.
2 comments:
What a sweet story.
(Except for the calling mean kids "friends" part -- I hate it when teachers do that. My Tanner's 1st grade teacher called all of her students "friend." Really?)
Good for Tanner.
Way to go Tanner! I wish there had been some sort of miraculous change of character just to reinforce the faith even more...but alas...agency.
I remember praying for a particularly awful boss Bob had years ago. It was a very difficult thing to do. Getting your mindset into TRULY wanting good things for that person is hard. Way to go Tanner!
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