breaking my heart

This has been a bad weekend for my middle kid.  Actually a bad two years.  A very bad two years.  We live in a closed neighborhood, which for some kids is great - built in friends and everyone knows everyone.  However, if your a kid who has been treated unkindly by children from a couple families, then those kids will tell all the new kids whatever they want and you never catch a break.

This morning I actually sat and listened to my 11 year old calmly outline some ways he could try and avoid the mean kids - he is always going to look through the peephole on our door and only open it to adults.  He is never going to the gym again, except for his gym lessons. He will only go to the store before the school bus arrives.  He probably can only go to the playground if a couple of particular kids are staying after school.  Sob!  Me, not him.  He is pretty matter of fact about it now.

Sadly these kids won't ever bother to know that my 11 year old is smart, and funny.  He has a lot of free time now so he designs Minecraft mods, although I understand most 6th graders think Minecraft is stupid.  He is a Boy Scout and working hard on his merit badges even though he doesn't always love the work.  He still plays with Legos and likes Star Wars.  He doesn't like team sports. He wants to move back to Canada where all the kids are nice.  And they are.  But he has a kind heart and is always hoping for the best in people….like when that boy rang the door bell yesterday, he really believed that finally they asked him to play.