I make up words all the time and when I read it I was like...woah...that’s PERFECT! But then I was like...why haven’t I heard of that word before? It’s a perfectly crommulant word.

Now on to the good stuff....dad stuff

I’ve always tried to teach my sons that there is never a place for meanness. Ever. Being frustrated is one thing, and when others are frustrated and snap at you it’s a life test to not take it personally and strive to have compassion and empathy for that person... I have found that the ideal way to take it is to find an inner humor in the situation but do your best to not convey disrespect to the other person but humor allows you to keep your cool and just play it off like nothings going to rattle you which will calm the other person down.

When it crosses the line to meanness, where the behavior or words are intended to cause harm or discomfort or pain, that’s where it’s okay to stand up for yourself or others. Not with sarcasm. Responding to someone in a confrontational situation with sarcasm is *almost* just as bad...watching two adults going back and forth with “witty” oneupmanship just looks to me like insecure little children.

In your situation it doesn’t sound like there was meanness...and I think you handled it perfectly. Well done fellow father :). When the line is crossed into meanness, I’ve found that one of the best ways to point it out is literally tell them “hey, that was really mean.” Or something along those lines. Any decent person I’ve encountered can usually stop and realize that too without escalating it further.

Now that he’s started kindergarten I’m very interested to hear how he handles meanness and bullies. He’s a very athletic and big kid but has the softest kindest heart and he struggles watching smaller kids get picked on.

So far it’s been one of the highlights of dadhood, watching him choose light over dark. Kindness and compassion over impulse and primate reactionary behavior.

Keep it up dads