Kid: Mom, today at school, my friends kept calling me “Mushroom Head” because of my new haircut. I don’t like it! (looks sad)
Mom: Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry they said that. Your haircut looks great! You liked it when we got it, right?
Kid: Yeah… but now I feel bad. They all laughed at me.
Mom: I understand. It hurts when people tease us. But you know what? Sometimes kids make jokes without thinking about how it makes others feel.
Kid: But what if they keep saying it tomorrow?
Mom: Well, you have a few choices. First, you can ignore them. If they see it doesn’t bother you, they might stop.
Kid: But what if they don’t stop?
Mom: Then you can say something calmly and confidently. Try, “I like my haircut, and that’s what matters.” Or, “That’s not nice, I don’t like being called that.”
Kid: What if they still tease me?
Mom: If they keep doing it and it makes you feel bad, you should tell your teacher. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help when someone is being mean.
Kid: But won’t they call me a tattletale?
Mom: Standing up for yourself isn’t tattling. It’s making sure everyone treats each other with respect. If someone keeps teasing you, it’s okay to ask an adult for help.
Kid: (smiles) Okay, I’ll try. And if they tease me again, I’ll tell them I like my hair!
Mom: That’s my brave boy! And remember, you’re awesome just the way you are.
Vocabulary List
- Tease – To make fun of someone in a playful or mean way.
- Example: “My classmates tease me about my new shoes.”
- Confidently – In a way that shows you are sure about yourself.
- Example: “He answered the question confidently.”
- Ignore – To not pay attention to something.
- Example: “I ignored the noise and kept reading my book.”
- Tattletale – A person who tells on someone else.
- Example: “Some kids are afraid to tell the teacher because they don’t want to be called a tattletale.”
- Respect – Treating others kindly and fairly.
- Example: “It’s important to show respect to your friends.”
Grammar Tips:
- Using “I feel” to express emotions:
- “I feel bad when they tease me.”
- “I feel happy when I play with my friends.”
- Using “If… then” to talk about possibilities:
- “If they tease me again, then I will tell them to stop.”
- “If I ignore them, then they might stop.”
- Using polite but firm sentences to stand up for yourself:
- “I don’t like being called that.”
- “Please don’t say that to me.”
FILL IN THE BLANK
Kid: Mom, today at school, my friends kept calling me "" because of my new haircut. I don’t like it! (looks sad)
Mom: Oh, sweetheart, I’m sorry they said that. Your looks great! You liked it when we got it, right?
Kid: Yeah… but now I feel bad. They all at me.
Mom: I understand. It hurts when people tease us. But you know what? Sometimes kids make without thinking about how it makes others feel.
Kid: But what if they keep saying it tomorrow?
Mom: Well, you have a few . First, you can ignore them. If they see it doesn’t bother you, they might stop.
Kid: But what if they don’t stop?
Mom: Then you can say something calmly and . Try, "I like my haircut, and that’s what ." Or, "That’s not nice, I don’t like being called that."
Kid: What if they still tease me?
Mom: If they keep doing it and it makes you feel bad, you should tell your . There’s nothing wrong with asking for help when someone is being .
Kid: But won’t they call me a ?
Mom: Standing up for yourself isn’t . It’s making sure everyone treats each other with . If someone keeps teasing you, it’s okay to ask an for help.
Kid: (smiles) Okay, I’ll try. And if they tease me again, I’ll tell them I my hair!
Mom: That’s my brave ! And remember, you’re awesome just the way you are.