Coffee Shop Conversation
“Hey Mary”
“Hey Marg. Wow. You look awful! What happened?”
“This morning my daughter Amy came running out of her room still in her nightgown, crying and saying she isnt a girl, she’s a boy, and that some magic spell turned her into a girl overnight.”
“My goodness. What did you do?”
“I told her to stop being silly, and to go and get her school clothes on. When she didnt stop crying, I gave her a paddle on the bum and sent her to get dressed.”
“Marg, I’m really disappointed in you.”
“What?”
“Your daughter was upset, came to you, and you brushed her aside, and worse, you punished her instead of comforting her.”
“But ....”
“No buts, Marg. You just taught your daughter she cant trust you, cant come to you when something is bothering her. Is that the lesson you wanted her to learn?”
“But magic cant happen!”
“Maybe it wasnt really magic. Maybe she got scared of some part of growing into a woman, and made it up. Or maybe she had a dream, and it felt really real to her. Or maybe she’s transgender, feels like a boy, and needed a way to tell you. But the point is, the feeling was real, even if the ‘spell’ isnt. And you rejected her.”
“I ... “
“And are you so sure there isn’t any magic in the world? Maybe its all around us, but being Muggles we cant see it.”
“You and your Muggles. Okay, so what should I do?”
“Go talk to your daughter. Or better yet, just listen to her.”
Later ....
“Amy, you home?”
“Ye...yes mommy.” Amy sniffled.
“Listen honey, I ... I owe you an apology. I failed you this morning as a parent. No matter what, I should have listened to you. You deserved that much from me, at the least. Now, do you think you could forgive me enough to give me another chance?”
“O...Okay mom. Here it is ...”
End.
If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:
And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks.
Comments
“Go talk to your daughter. Or better yet, just listen to her.â
A nice short story that makes a very important point. Good story Dorothy.
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
thanks, Jemina
Glad you enjoyed it.
they don't hear
It seems all to often parents don't seem to "hear" what their child is "actually" saying and end up punishing by default when the child keeps on about "nonsense".
Listening is a good place to start.
thanks, Hypatia
Yeah, listening is where it starts.
Thanks for commenting.
Nice short Dottie!
There's an important lesson here. We should always take the time listen to a child in distress. There problem or fear at the time may seen silly to an adult, but is very real to a child. So I'm thinking one of Ms. tels(y)'s stories inspired this one, aye? (Hugs) Taarpa
Inspired by Tels?
Maybe .... (giggles)
Thanks for commenting
Nice!
I wonder if anyone {children} keep track of how many times they are not really heard?
Vivien
being heard is important
for anyone, child or adult.
I'm almost 58. and I *still*
I'm almost 58. and I *still* remember broken promises and times when my mom didn't stop to consider that what was "obvious" to *her* was something that she shouldn't have expected *me* to know because I'd never been told. (A common failing of adults dealing with kids. Expecting them to know things that they actually *don't*. And often punishing them for that lack of knowledge)
Brooke brooke at shadowgard dot com
http://brooke.shadowgard.com/
Girls will be boys, and boys will be girls
It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world
"Lola", the Kinks
broken promises
Broken promises can have a real bad effect on a kid. A kid who cant trust their folks with some minor thing isnt likely to feel like trusting them with important stuff. I'm lucky enough to have a mom who I can trust with most stuff - including telling her I felt like a girl.
alas, my mom was one of those
alas, my mom was one of those people who don't actually "get" that kids have rights. My property (even things I'd bought with my own money) were not "mine" in her head. Which is why when I left home a number of things got given away without even the pretense of asking me.
The generation gap didn't help either. She was born in 1909 I was born in 1955. And she was a retired school teacher. Which also didn't help.
Brooke brooke at shadowgard dot com
http://brooke.shadowgard.com/
Girls will be boys, and boys will be girls
It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world
"Lola", the Kinks
A very important lesson.
For everyone.
I have nothing to express but gratitude for your sharing it, and admiration for your wisdom.
I am honored, Extravagance
(bows)
How to raise a child, 101.
This short and to the point story has a moral that all parents should heed. It doesn't matter if the parent straight, transgender, gay, bisexual or lesbian. We owe it our children to sit down with them and listen when they need to talk. If we don't, they will pick up bits here and pieces there. It isn't worth it in the long run because street corner lessons are not always factual. But, if we sit down with our children, and listen to what they say, and offer them advice, then they grow up knowing that when they have children, this is what they are supposed to do. Thank you for sharing.
"With confidence and forbearance, we will have the strength to move forward."
Love & hugs,
Barbara
"If I have to be this girl in me, Then I have the right to be."
too bad so many parents dont know this lesson
At least when it comes to transgender issues. Maybe its better out there now ...
Thanks for commenting.