The Wisdom of Little Mermaid

Let me start off by wishing everyone a prosperous New Year. I made a resolution to not stress out about the lack of posting every day. I am happy to report that so far, I have been able to keep that resolution. Phew, glad when the pressure is off.

On New Year’s Day, my 9 year old niece and I were taking the long way back to her house. It is one of my quirks to take the longer route if the mood strikes and anytime I have quality Wicked and Little Mermaid times the mood is always good. She was telling me about a bullyette in her class at school. From the many scenarios I have heard from her parents and the accounts she gave me herself, it seems like this bullyette has major issues. Unfortunately, she is taking them out on MY NIECE. The quandary is this: the bullyette is very intimidating and when she doesn’t get her way she tattles. She tells the teacher that Little Mermaid is being mean to her. The teacher then has a conversation with my niece and her feelings get hurt. Some progress has been made in that the teacher has separated the two, they no longer share a table/desk. However; the browbeating continues and it is stressing out my niece.

I had some advice for her. I told Little Mermaid to ignore bullyette. Little Mermaid said that if she did the retribution was to be pulled aside by the teacher and told not to be mean. To which I suggested that Little Mermaid let the teacher know that she chose the high rode by ignoring the troublemaker so that all her energies could be devoted to school work. She should further clarify that bullyette is distracting her and by ignoring her she is not being mean, rather being diligent about her studies.

After a long pause, Little Mermaid asked me if I was sure about the advice. I asked her why she was hesitant to go with my suggestion? She reminded me that I was the one who had to wear her chewing gum on her nose, during lunch in the cafeteria while seated next to the teacher in the 7th grade. I hate when my indiscretions are thrown back to me. I defended my actions by stating that since I was such a trouble maker when I was her age I was able to learn by mistakes and pass my wisdom onto her. I certainly didn’t want her to repeat my mistakes.

Good save – right?