Hellobee Boards

I don't care about her being popular but I do want to make sure she has friends, I think nothing would be lonelier than going through school without a good group of friends. If they are the "nerdy" ones I'm okay with that!

No, neither DH or I were popular in school. Honestly, we never even thought about it since we were so busy with sports.

@LuLu Mom: agreed!

I don't care about them being cool or popular. I just want them to have a good friend network!

I would care if she cared. It's important to me that she has friends and is able to make friends and get along with different types of people. If I felt she was very shy or a loner I would try to help her branch out. If she has good friends and is happy and confident, I'll be happy.

I hope she has an awkward phase, just long enough to keep the boys away until she is older (like um...maybe college? lol), just like in Tina Fey's awesome prayer for her daughter:

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the nearby subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock N’ Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels. What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen.

Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For Childhood is short — a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And Adulthood is long and Dry-Humping in Cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends,

For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, That I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 a.m., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental note to call me. And she will forget.

But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.

I was extremely uncool and painfully shy when I moved to a new town in 3rd grade. This was really traumatic for me! I had a horrible middle school and high school experience because of it. My town was very sports-centric and I was forbidden to play any sports so that didn't help matters.

If my kids are as shy and introverted as I was, I'd try and let them do whatever they wanted to get involved with other kids.

I'd love it if my kids were the same as Wagon Sr. and I were-- brainy, so in the "it's cool to study and get good grades" group. (but I was too shy to really involve myself with those kids as well.)

@Anagram: that is awesome!

@Mrs. Bee: it would be impossible for Charlie not to be cool! He's already one of the coolest kids I've ever seen!

I wouldn't care so long as they are not too awkward and don't get bullied. But these days, it seems everyone celebrates their individual quirks and even being uncool is really cool!

@Anagram: Haha, that is hilarious! I especially loved the part about her remembering that she cut her grapes for her

I'd rather her be a good person than be cool. In the long run it'll do her more good, I think.

But I'd be lying if I said I would be ok with her being the least cool kid in the room. I'd feel terrible; I want her to be well balanced and happy.

Doesn't matter either way! As long as they are happy!

I want my children to be happy, compassionate and unafraid to love. I wish them to be hard-working, honest, loyal and friendly. I hope they stand firm in what they believe, are courageous and not afraid to stand up for themselves. I hope that they are kind and respectful, thoughtful and devoted.

Those things matter. If as a result they are popular/cool - that's an amazing opportunity for them to set a good example... but if those things make them uncool- then absolutely.

I wouldn't care if she's uncool, I think it's better than trying to be cool. But so far, she seems so social ... not sure where she gets that from, but I'm guessing I won't have to worry too much. I'm hoping she's not so into popularity.

I'm hoping she's nerdy enough about something that interests her and eventually doesn't care too much about what others think.

I don't need them to be the most popular ever. I just want them to have friends.

Our eldest is a bit of (ok, hugely so) an outcast. My heart seriously breaks for him. There was a cubs event where you could bring a friend and he just said "what friends? I don't have any". When we drop him off to school he stand in the line up by himself while the other kids play.

I don't wish this on any child and certainly wish that my step son had at least one good friend to be with during and after school.

@Anagram: That is awesome!

My only concern is that my girls are their authentic selves and that they are kind to others. Cool or uncool doesn't matter to me.

If cool is defined as popular than yes...and no, lol. I won't care if he doesn't have a billion friends and isn't voted prom king, but I don't want him to be a social outcast, either. I want him to be smart, to be able to laugh at himself, and to have at least a few really good friends.