Kids like being the same as each other. Even the slightest difference makes them so uncomfortable. Glasses, braces, being small, being tall, being bigger, any difference. Miles has struggled with being Jewish for a while. He goes through spurts where he is proud of being Jewish and then not-so-proud. Last night Miles told us that he wished he wasn't Jewish. He didn't like being different. He hated when people said, 'ask Miles' when someone had a question about being Jewish. Scott and I both told him he should be proud of being Jewish. It's something special and something to be proud of and definitely not to be ashamed of. But we both understand the need to fit in. At some point he will realize that it's okay. I hear myself telling him almost everyday that everyone has something that makes them different. We had a Sesame Street book that we used to read to him called 'We're Different, We're the Same'. I used to love reading it to him b/c it reminded him that even though everyone has something different about them, hair color, eye color, skin color, whatever it is, we are all the same, PEOPLE, living here together and it doesn't matter what you are, who you are, we are all people, just trying to muddle through all of this together. That's all that matters. Jewish or not. He'll get there, but it sure is a long road.
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