Tearful Mother Begs Other Parents To Teach Their Kids About People 'Born Different ' After Her Daughter Was Teased On The Playground
"It's okay to be curious. It is never okay to be mean."
unguryanu / Shutterstock A mother took her children to the park expecting them to get some much-needed playtime before a storm rolled in. Instead, she had to take them home early after other children began teasing her daughter.
Now, the heartbroken mother is calling on fellow parents to teach their children about respecting others no matter how they may look on the outside.
The mother shared that her daughter was teased by other children at a playground due to her disabilities.
Acacia Beach is a mother to two children, a son Lewis, and a daughter Dani. Dani was born with a genetic disorder known as Apert syndrome, which causes fusion of the skull, hands, and feet bones.
Those with Apert syndrome typically have a sunken appearance in the middle of the face, a beaked nose, a wrinkled forehead, widely spaced eyes, and an opening in the roof of the mouth. It affects an estimated 1 in 65,000 to 80,000 newborns.
Despite her condition, Dani appears to be a happy little girl, hitting milestones based on her mother’s posts.
However, both she and Acacia have their difficult days. Beach took to TikTok to share one particularly hard day.
As she drove her children home from the park one afternoon, the mother tearfully explained that a group of children took notice of Dani’s differences, and began crowding around her.
“One of them was pointing at her laughing, and one of them kept saying, ‘Her face is so weird! She’s so weird!’” a tearful Beach said. As the children were taunting Dani, their parents were allegedly standing right in front of them without saying a word.
Beach decided to step in herself to teach the children a lesson about respecting others.
“Would you like it if someone called you weird?” she asked them. When the children said they wouldn’t, Beach explained to them that everyone is different and that her daughter was born with a syndrome that made her physically unique from most people.
Despite Acacia’s words, the children continued to look back at Dani and call her “weird” the entire time they were there.
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Still, the children’s parents refused to stop them and correct their hurtful behavior.
“If the kid would have said it one more time, I would’ve said to the parents ‘Can you please tell him to stop saying that?’” Beach admitted.
The heartbroken mother said that she had not had that kind of interaction with others in a while and it caught her off guard.
Before leaving the park, she considered leaving a note on the parents’ car with titles of helpful books to teach children about differences in others along with a link to her social media accounts so that their parents could educate them on those who may look different than them.
However, she could not find a pen to write down her recommendations and did not have the energy to have a conversation with the parents after what she and her daughter just experienced.
“I’m just exhausted,” a devastated Beach confessed.
Now, she is begging other parents to educate their children about those with disabilities and differences so no other parent and child has to experience what she experienced at the park.
Others were devastated on Dani’s behalf and were astounded that the children’s parents did not even attempt to step in.
“I’m so sorry! It’s up to us to create better humans for this world! These parents NEED to do better!” one TikTok user commented.
“Your baby is just as beautiful as the next baby no matter what. No one should have to endure what you experienced today. I will teach my child to stand up for those that are unique,” another user wrote.
“Oh honey, I’m so sorry that you are dealing with this. As a mom of a son with obvious facial differences, I feel this,” another user shared.
It is normal for children to be curious and ask questions about those who appear different than them.
While their curiosity is completely valid, teasing another person and calling them “weird” for their differences is never okay.
Educating children about disabilities and differences fosters a culture of inclusivity and acceptance. It teaches them to appreciate diversity and treat everyone with respect and kindness.
Education also reduces stigma. This helps create a more supportive and nurturing society.
In today's diverse world, children will inevitably encounter individuals with disabilities. Teaching them about these differences from a young age prepares them to interact positively with people from all walks of life.
In fact, your children may even find that they have more in common with other children who look physically different than them. They may like the same ice cream flavor, watch the same TV shows, play at the same playgrounds, and laugh at the same jokes.
In a follow-up video, Beach shared some of her favorite books that teach children about those with disabilities.
“Read them to your babies. Expose them to these things so that it’s not as shocking in real life, and they’ll know how to approach someone with kindness and ask questions,” Beach said.
“It’s okay to be curious, it’s not okay to be mean.”
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.