Loving a Bully

Yesterday we were in a hotel swimming pool just enjoying ourselves as we normally do. We've been going to this pool, well going to this hotel off and on for over a year now, and during that time we've only played in the pool with other kids 2 other times. We all shared our toys and had a blast which is really nice because this hotel pool is small.  We'll yesterday there were tons of kids here, and it actually took a while before the other kids allowed mine to play with them. Once they did things were going smoothly for everyone.  The moms and I were all talking having a grand time, but then I noticed my oldest off by himself. The other kids we're playing without him. I watched him over a 20 minute period go up to each child asking to play again, but they each ignored him.  Right before he burst into tears I asked them if he can play with them again, they were playing with my youngest so why not my son who could actually play the game? 

The other moms stepped into the hotel for a minute and I continued to see how rude these bullies were being to my kid. So I told them straight up how rude they were being. But that didn't make the situation any better.  So then we tried bribing them again, with more of our fun pool toys.  This is my first time dealing with a Bully and my own child.  But I've dealt with bullies with other children before.  I felt awful about how I dealt with these rude children.  So I apologized to the kids for being rude to them.  But I was still feeling bad about how they treated my son, and they ruined such a fun thing for us.

 

Over the next few days we tried to avoid these kids at the pool, but that didn't work.  However, the second encounter was better.  All the kids played by themselves at first, but then my boys asked to join in the fun with the 3 troublesome kids.  Those kids allowed my boys to play along for a minute or two and then shut them out again.  I watched my oldest just bob around the pool watching them for a good 10 minutes before he finally got some gumption and started playing with his brother not bothered by the rudeness of the other children.  I was over joyed!  I actually bowed my head and prayed right then and there in thanks that God helped my son deal with those bullies himself.  I'm so grateful that God blessed my son with a good heart, and a strong will to be happy despite what is thrown at him!