ouch

Another mom and I were in tears today in the hallway at school at the end of the day. It started out like this:

Tall Mama: (rather chipper) Hi there! How is everything going with you guys?

And then it went downhill quickly.

Alpha Mama: (bursts into tears) Oh, Tall Mama. I am just trying to figure out the best way to help Miss M through some Mean Girl stuff at school.

Tall Mama: Oh no. I am so sorry. Miss M is so sweet. (Tall Mama starts crying too.) I worry about that, I know my daughter will not fit in with that Middle School vibe.

(The short conversation carried on with some sniffling and some vague question and answer. And then she said something that wrenched my guts.)

Tall Mama: A friend once said, "You don't know the meaning of the word MEAN until you see your eleven year old daughter treated badly by her peers. I never thought it was possible to hate a child, but I have learned otherwise."

I don't want to learn that lesson.

And I don't want Miss M to learn it either.