06/17/2026
The other day, I watched a group of kids playing at the park. Most were running around laughing, but one little boy stood on the outside, watching intensely, before suddenly marching over and knocking down another child's blocks.
It’s so easy to immediately label that child as "the bully" and feel a flash of anger. But as I watched his eyes dart around to see if anyone was looking at him, it hit me how much pain is often hiding behind that behavior. So many times, children lash out simply because they are starved for attention, fighting their own deep insecurities, or just desperately trying to figure out how to fit in.
They aren't born mean; they are just lost.
As parents, caregivers, and neighbors, we have the incredible power to change the narrative. We can't always control the world our kids walk into, but we can shape the heart they bring into it. When we intentionally teach empathy, celebrate differences, and practice quiet kindness at home, we are giving our kids the ultimate emotional armor. Children who learn to understand their own feelings and the feelings of others don't feel the need to tear someone else down to build themselves up.
Let's commit to raising a generation that reaches out a hand instead of throwing a punch.
