Little Brat in EDP

In Thea's years at Ying Hua International School, I think all of friends and all of the teachers knew she was adopted.  I don't think anyone, child or adult, every really commented on it, questioned either Thea or us.  There were several children who were adopted internationally and a couple who were adopted in the US.  Adoption just wasn't all that much of a big deal.

Friday I went to pick up Thea at Wicoff School's EDP (extended-day program), and she was sitting at a table with a bunch of girls (somewhat of a shock because she usually seems to hang around boys more), and as I snuck up behind her, I hear one of the the EDP ladies addressing the child sitting across from Thea, saying "You don't know the reasons for Thea's adoption."  It seems this beast told Thea that she was adopted because her birth parents didn't want her.

None of this seemed to faze Thea in the least, she was busy making hand-drawn Pokemon cards, but I wanted to shred that little future social misfit into a million tiny pieces.  Thea knows all about the day of her adoption, and what few details about her finding that we know.  We talk about it on and off at home, if it comes up, but we've never really had any conversations about what to say to people outside of our family. (And there will be those readers who say give the little cherub the benefit of the doubt, forgive, blah blah blah.  I saw her face, her expression was prissy, supercilious and mean.)

So while Thea got her lunch box, backpack and coat, I told the little beast, in as calm a tone as I could muster, that she could not presume to know the story of Thea's adoption because there are details that even we don't know and that what for me was the happiest event in my life was in all likelihood preceded by the saddest days for her birth family.  But of course the little girl didn't seem to be paying attention, but since I'd already turned to leave, I heard the EDP lady say to her, "Kayla, did you hear what Thea's mother said to you?" and began to repeat what I said, but by then we were out of the room.

Little Miss Kayla, you have a lot to learn, and if you don't get a little more sensitivity in your soul (if you even have one), the next mother whose children are adopted may not be as Gandhi-esque as me.  For now, you live and I'm glad that I only pick Thea up from EDP a few times per month.  And so much for wishing she had a few more female friends, she has her friends in Brownies and can hang with the boys for now.  All they seem to care about is video games, Pokemon, Bakugan and soccer, which is just fine.