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Being a kid can be tough...

Now that I'm an adult with lots of responsibilities and bills to pay, sometimes I wish I could just be a kid again. Oh how I long for those days when the only thing on the agenda for the day was to play outside, come in for lunch, and then take a nap. BUT there are some things that I really don't miss about being a kid and being bullied or teased is one of them.

Being the youngest of three siblings in my family, I know all about being teased and excluded from 'secret clubs'. But those are the kind of things that you get over quickly and those are the things that 'toughen you up'. They also make good conversation pieces at family functions many years down the road.

It's being teased by your friends and peers that can make lasting impressions and make you feel insecure about yourself...and sometimes it can effect you for the rest of your life, if you let it.

One of the things that I used to be teased about by my peers when I was younger was for singing country music. Unfortunately, country music wasn't as 'cool' back then as it is now, since acts like Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift have popularized it for the younger demographic. I battled through the teasing for a few years, and kept on singing country music for several years after that. Even though I don't prefer to sing country music anymore, the teasing never discouraged me from singing. How could I possibly give up a unique talent that I had just because a couple of bullies teased me about it?

Kids can be very cruel to each other. Bullies will find the most insignificant things to tease you about. They can tease you about your name and make silly nicknames for you that last for many years. They can tease you for being short or tall, skinny or fat, rich or poor, shy or outgoing, etc..etc... They can call you 'four-eyes' for having to wear glasses. They can make fun of you for your no-name sneakers that you got from Zellers just because you can't afford the brand name ones. They can tease you for being 'different' or for having a unique talent. Or in my case, they tease you for singing country music.

It really doesn't matter what they tease you about. What matters the most is how you feel about yourself. Love you for you and embrace those unique or quirky things about yourself. Don't let those bullies get to you. Don't let anyone put you down or make you feel worthless. Ignore the teasing and rise above those insecurities. You will either grow to love those things about yourself or you will find a way to accept them for what they are. Either way, you will get through it and you will be a stronger person because of it.