"Big Momma"

I remember working for an afterschool program where I cared for children ages 4 to 12 years old. There was a heavy set dark-skinned girl who was crying on the field. I asked her what was wrong. She said that a particular girl kept calling her “Big Momma”. I confronted the girl and told her how mean her statement was and how much it hurt her feelings. The girl looked at me with such confusion. It looked as if she did not know how much that statement hurt her. I hope I did not get onto her to harshly because I know how it feels to get picked on during that age. Even though the “bully” did not understand her microaggression it was very unfair to her to feel less than a person because of her weight. It was unfair to have to sit there on that field and miss out on playing with other children because her feelings were hurt. I myself was hurt and imagined myself as that child who was bullied because I was considered a “cry baby”. I now know that I was just highly sensitive. I did not stand up for myself when I was younger. When I was talking to the girl bully that was probably the little girl inside of me finally defending herself. The bully will have to change in this scenario because she has to learn how her words can affect others feelings. I as a teacher had to teach that to the bully.