Barbolito was crying when his mother came home from work.
He had been called names at school because he was different from most of
the children in his class.
Barbolito’s mother felt awful for her small son.
She wanted so much for him to be happy in his new environment.
She had brought him to this country to make life better for him, not
worse. She had felt prejudice and
she knew how much it hurt and how harmful it could be to her son. She took a deep breath and thought a minute before she
answered him. Then she said, “My
precious little son, I don’t know all the reasons people, especially children,
say hateful things instead of loving things.
Sometimes, I think, it makes them feel more important to look down on
someone else. This is because they
do not feel good inside themselves. And
sometimes, people get caught up in doing what other people are doing because
they are afraid not to follow their friends because they want to fit into the
group – just like you do. It can
be lonely and hurtful to be outside that group, so they call you names even
though, deep inside, they know they shouldn’t.
I will talk to your teacher and see if she can help the class understand
you better. For now, though,
let’s you and I go to the diner and get some ice cream.
I want to tell you all the reasons you are very, very special.”
Then Barbolito’s mother gave him a big, big hug and
a kiss and she dried his tears with her waitress’s apron. Barbolito didn’t get to go to the diner often and he was
happy to be loved so much by his mother, and he knew that, in many ways, he was
very lucky. Still, he didn’t want
to go to school the next day.
But later, after his mother talked to his teacher, Barbolito felt much better.
The teacher suggested that Barbolito bring some things from his old
country to school and tell about them at a special time set aside just for him.
The teacher also told Barbolito’s mother there was a counselor at
school who would be able to help him anytime he needed help. Barbolito’s mother was very happy about these ways to help
solve her son’s problems.
“To ask for help when you need it is a real sign of maturity, or growing up,
Barbolito,” she said. “Some
people never learn to ask for help. You must learn this lesson early. At times, we give help to others and at times, we receive
help. It is the way of the
world.”
After Barbolito’s mother tucked him in bed, he thought about what he would say
about his old country and why they had moved.
He pictured himself standing in front of the children and he pictured
them liking what he said. And he had very sweet dreams.
