Parent catches child being cruel at the pool

DEAR AMY » My youngest daughter “Sara,” (12) is as sweet as pie to those she loves. She also speaks her mind — sometimes too plainly. Her mother and I waffle between being happy that she sticks up for herself, and concerned that her bluntness will alienate people.

Recently an older girl, “Carrie,” approached me at our public pool. Carrie attends school with my older daughter. I introduced her to a group of kids nearby as: “A friend of my daughters’.” Carrie responded by putting “friends” in fingerquotes, and then stating that, “Your daughters hate me. Sara just said, ‘Hello — go away’ to me.”

I jumped on it with Sara: “How would that make you feel? How do you think it made her feel? I also tried to make Carrie feel a little better, but honestly, she is simply a tough kid to like — she never really gets into the conversation, and has rough social skills. Of course, this is no excuse for Sara’s horrible behavior.

Sara is prepped to say, “I am sorry I hurt your feelings and was so rude to you” at the next encounter, but neither of our daughters want her to be friends.

Is there anything I can say or do to make Carrie feel better? Should I speak to her parents? I am saddened and ashamed of my daughter’s insensitive remark.

— Guilty in NC DEAR GUILTY » You did a nice job correcting your adolescent — and then you actually confirmed her unkind assessment of the girl she was cruel to.

Your message to your daughter should be, “I don’t care what this other person is like, or if she is challenging, or simply bugs you. You don’t have to be friends with anyone you don’t want to be friends with. You DO have to be kind to others — regardless. It’s that simple. You owe her an apology, and you need to deliver it now.”

You daughter needs to learn that fierceness and kindness are actually two sides of the same coin. The most wonderful people are those who use their fierceness — and bluntness — to serve, not only themselves, but others. It’s easy, lazy and cowardly to be mean. If your daughter wants to be popular and wellliked, she will have to learn how to be brave enough to be nice to someone she doesn’t want to befriend.