If you’ve spent any amount of time perusing the daily news or listening to your children’s stories when they come home from school, it’s not hard to conclude that kids can be downright cruel.
If you don’t fit the standard of what their middle-school minds deem as “normal” or “cool,” you can bet that you will be the target of some pretty harsh bullying at some point.
Such was the case for a sweet 10-year-old boy named Ryker.
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Ryker ADORES cats and was super stoked to get his new cat lunchbox for school. Sadly, because of its “girly” pink, purple and teal hues, the middle-schooler was taunted by his more “manly” peers. Discouraged and embarrassed, Ryker didn’t even want to take his lunch to school anymore.
But when his uncle, David Pendragon, found out about what was happening to his nephew, he decided to take matters into his own hands… and let’s just say his response won him “Uncle of the Year.”
Having a child of his own, David just couldn’t bear the thought of Ryker being degraded and mocked, so he did something pretty spectacular to shut those bullies up.
Read David’s viral Facebook post below that proves “man” comes in many colors:
“My cousin, Emily, has a 10-year-old son named Ryker. Ryker, who loves cats, was very excited to get his new lunchbox. Unfortunately because of its colors, or because it has cats, or both he was teased about it by other boys in his class. He even wanted to stop taking his lunch so he wouldn’t be teased about it any longer.”
I have decided, however, to stand with my little cousin and show him that a man can love whatever he wants and not be afraid to express that love.
So I have ordered the same lunchbox for myself and proudly carried it to work today at my large, conservative, corporate workplace. I’ve told anyone who asked the story behind my lunchbox and to a person, they all stand with Ryker too.”
“There’s no one way to be a man. Men can be colorful. Men can be expressive. Men can be emotional and silly and gleeful.
I love my new lunchbox and I hope Ryker and all the other boys out there can see that their passion and self-expression is never something to be ashamed of.”
Wow, what marvelous advice!
In a cookie-cutter culture that values conformity over self-expression, I love seeing this proud uncle shatter the status quo.
Share David’s story with your friends if his bold COLORFUL act inspired you too!
