Mom Proud To ‘Be Doing At Least One Thing Right’ After Hearing Daughter’s Response To Being Bullied At School
Raisa Kanareva | Shutterstock In a TikTok video, a mom named Maren Droubay felt proud when her daughter affirmed that she knows who she is, in response to being bullied at school.
For most parents, hearing that their child is being bullied at school can instantly trigger a plethora of different emotions. The immediate worry is about whether their child is okay, of course, quickly followed by anger and frustration over what's being done about it in school. After finding out that her daughter was being bullied at school, Droubay was stunned at the way her daughter was handling the situation, making her feel that she was "doing at least one thing right."
A mom felt proud to 'be doing at least one thing right' after hearing her daughter's response to being bullied at school.
In Droubay's video, she had been walking with her daughter after picking her up from school. The mother and daughter were in the middle of a conversation, and Droubay's daughter was relaying what another kid at school had told her.
Her daughter explained that someone had said that they didn't like her, and as a result, the young girl had responded, "Well, guess what. My family thinks I'm a princess, and I'm super kind and nice. And if they think that, that's who I am."
Droubay's daughter insisted that even if another kid was saying they didn't like her, she wasn't going to let it faze her. From the positive affirmations her family said to her, the young girl knew exactly who she was and wasn't seeking validation from others.
"I know who I am. And I know that I'm a sweet little princess and so kind," the young girl continued. In the caption of her video, Droubay gushed that she had clearly done something right with her parenting, for her daughter to have such a confident response after being talked down to. "One of those moments where you realize you might be doing at least one thing right as a parent. Speak love into your babies!"
Confidence is the key to raising kids who know who they are in the face of bullying.
Droubay's daughter clearly has confidence and healthy self-esteem thanks to her family. And according to experts, self-worth is integral to raising kids who seem almost immune to the bullying rampant in schools and online.
Psychologist Emily Edlynn, PhD, explained, "The first line of intervention to prevent bullying is teaching children assertiveness skills. It's important to distinguish between assertive and aggressive: Assertiveness means standing up for ourselves, while aggressive is directing verbal or physical harm toward someone."
Droubay's daughter practiced assertiveness in telling her bully that her family thinks she is a princess, and she knows she is a kind person. She stood up to adversity without becoming aggressive, but she did not let the other child take her power.
Celia Heppner, Psy.D., clinical psychologist at Children’s Health, noted, "When parents model assertiveness, kindness towards others, and self-confidence, children will respond to those messages and incorporate those behaviors into their interactions with others."
Positive affirmations are a great way to instill confidence in young children.
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Studies in developmental psychology have shown that positive self-talk can help boost a child's confidence and resilience. How those affirmations are worded and used matters greatly. For young children in particular, hearing affirmations that are doable and honest usually have a better effect. For example, using language like "I try my best even when things are hard" sets a goal that allows for failure without failing.
Between the ages of 3 and 7, psychologists described kids' brains as being "sponges." This usually makes it a prime time for parents to start saying affirmations to their children, as it can help strengthen their brain pathways tied to confidence and resilience. In Droubay's case, constantly showering her daughter with positive affirmations about how great, capable, and kind she is has helped strengthen her self-esteem.
So now, when she's faced with bullies who attempt to tear her down, the little girl is secure in herself because of how much strength her mom and family have poured into her.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
