Kids can be cuel. A beautiful story

[bernie]

Wasn't sure where to post this but it's a great story. I read this story in my local paper a few years ago and it always makes me smile to think of it. Usually around easter time, for obvious reasons. But other times too, it's such a good one.

A mother wrote in about her favorite Easter story. She wrote that she took her young daughter, (maybe 4-6 yrs?) to an egg hunt. There were a bunch of kids there and a big field.

One thing though, her daughter was blind.

Bell rings, all the kids scatter and snag. The daughter being left in the dust by them, kind of groping along. She was getting skunked when one little boy decided to put an egg in front of her to find. Upon finding it, her whole face lit up. Seeing that reaction, the little boy kept putting his eggs out for her to find. Eventually some of the other kids clued in and joined the boy. Her basket got filled.

The mother wrote that it was one of her greatest memories she had of Easter. Reading it made it one of mine.

It's always good to read/hear about a story like this about little kids. Sometimes little kids can be cool.

b

[plaster8]

That's a great story, bernie -- do you remember what paper it was in? (As a Seattle-area journalist, I have to ask.)

[bernie]

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do you remember what paper it was in? (As a Seattle-area journalist, I have to ask.)

[/ QUOTE ]

Seattle Times, I believe. It was awhile back. One of the big 2. Back then Im pretty sure the Times.

Im not sure if it was part of a feature article where they had people write in their stories or not. I think it was.

I like the visual I get when I think of it.

b

[Turning Stone Pro]

Over the last year I have begun doing a significant amount of law guardian work as part of my practice (representing children from infants up to about 15 year old), usually in custody/visitation-type family court cases. Though sometimes heartbreaking, it has been truly rewarding.

It's amazing to me how much smarter and more thoughtful kids are when compared to their bickering, self-centered parents. It's also not hard to figure out why children grow up and develop the problems they do - unfortunately, apples sometimes do fall close to the tree.

TSP

[Glenn]

Does anyone else think that bringing the blind child to the egg hunt in the first place is a horrible decision? I understand the concept of trying to make the child feel normal, but without the kids' intervention it would just make the kid feel more disabled/left out. It's like signing your fat kid up for a track team. Sure he needs excercise, but putting him in a situation where he will fail and be constantly reminded of his problem is not helpful.

[WWJFergusonD?]

I completely misread the title of this thread as cRuel. I was expecting a wickedly ironic post, not a kewl one! Thanx!

[InchoateHand]

That wasn't at all funny. [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

[bernie]

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Does anyone else think that bringing the blind child to the egg hunt in the first place is a horrible decision?

[/ QUOTE ]

In writing this, I agree and it did cross my mind, it does seem odd to do that to your kid. I couldn't remember the mothers thoughts on this or the situation surrounding it. But I'll give her the benefit until I, if I, ever find that article/letter again. I have a feeling there was a good reason. Or upon initially reading it, that'd likely have been one of my first thoughts also. Cynical and sarcastic that I am.

However, if you had a blind kid, and she was really looking forward to an egg hunt, wouldn't you take her? I mean, let's say all her little friends are talking about it. However, you're in a small town so there's no egg hunt offered for 'handicapped' kids. Just a scenario.

Wouldn't holding the kid back from participating also be reminding her of her problem? Especially if all her friends would be going? Sometimes the kid just wants to be there and participate to be normal, not necesarily succeed at it or 'win' anything. There's a pro and con to both sides.

I think it's a little different if the kid is likely to be teased and ridiculed. Which I don't remember ever happening to anyone at an egg hunt.

Anyways,

it's still a cool story.

b

[bernie]

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That wasn't at all funny

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What made you think it was s'posed to be funny?

b

[InchoateHand]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
That wasn't at all funny

[/ QUOTE ]
What made you think it was s'posed to be funny?

[/ QUOTE ]

If it wasn't, why bother posting it? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]