if not me...

Posted by Sarah



If not us, then who If not me and you Right now, it’s time for us to do something If not now, then when Will we see an end To all this pain It’s not enough to do nothing It’s time for us to do something ~ Matthew West


It is 1995 and a boy sits alone at the lunch table. He's skinny and quiet, wearing a tattered Polo shirt. His name is Don. He typically roams the halls during lunch to avoid scenes like this, but today he is starved... So he eats, dodging occasional cheeto bullets from the next table. It is Friday so pep rally excitement fills the air. Don stares at his food, likely battling an internal voice yelling GET UP! RUN AWAY! And perhaps the voice almost wins. He's picking up his half-eaten tray when a cheerleader takes the seat beside him. She glares at her friends who sheepishly put their chips away as she starts a conversation. His behavior is often odd, to be sure, but he means no harm (years later he will be diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome). The bell rings and she rises to leave. He flashes a cautious smile and holds his head a little higher. They don't become best friends or eat together every day, but this is the last time he will feel humiliated and alone in the cafeteria. A line has been drawn in the sand, and a light cast on mean behavior that will no longer be glorified or tolerated. One girl, one small act of courage and kindness changes everything.

What did her parents do? Why, in the midst so much wrong, did she choose RIGHT? And how can we grow little humans who will become assets to humanity?  Bullying, my friends, is alive and well... And not isolated to children. Social media has exacerbated the problem, allowing people to abuse one another behind the relative safety of their computers. And, good people, fearing they might be the next victim of widespread attacks, are unwilling to defend or protect the wronged. Like wildfire, negative news spreads, lies become truth, and wrongdoing is praised and passed on. Yikes. Thought it was hard being a kid in 1995? Good luck to our children if we don't make a stand now. We started Well Dressed Wolf with little more than a dream, a few sketches and our innocence. Somehow, little by little, our baby company started growing... and in just a few years has become something we never imagined. Along the way we have made friends (so many friends!). We've gained wisdom, honed our craft, learned valuable (sometimes costly!) lessons in business, and watched women come together for the good of each other and the world. We've celebrated babies being born and literally watched children grow up through pictures (wearing WDW!). In the early days, we jumped right into social media, joining the many groups that popped up in our name. Having never been involved in the underground world of children's clothing, it was a rush! Interacting with customers on such a personal level was thrilling and gratifying... Until it wasn't. Recently, we have stepped away from all groups (most of which are lovely places full of wonderful women!) because it was necessary. We didn't start this business to referee or participate in sparring factions of clothing lovers and buyers and sellers. We aren't politicians and have no desire to be. Our daily posts shouldn't be planned like a State of the Union address-- each word measured and monitored for potential hidden meaning or intention. We started this journey because we LOVE to design adorable things for your children and we LOVE getting to know so many good people who have rallied around our brand (and there are so many good people). In fact, a positive and inspiring community group will soon be launched exclusively for friends of Well Dressed Wolf. We hope you'll take part! We plan to pop in periodically and you'll get sneaks, make supportive friendships, take part in giveaways and have opportunities to help make the world a BETTER PLACE. It really is time to make social media a more positive experience again- for our children; for ourselves. Adults bullying one another and harassing businesses should never be okay.

As we tell our own children, you have CHOICES every day: seek darkness or seek light. Make a positive impact on the world or a negative one. Seek to inspire or to destroy. Do what you know is right- even when it isn't "cool". Don't seek revenge (no matter how much you want to!) and pray for the people who hurt you (this one is a toughie!). You aren't perfect and you'll make mistakes, so learn to apologize and forgive. Be honest, but be kind. Truth doesn't have to hurt... THESE are goals for our own lives (and business), and though we sometimes fall short, we are confident in the path we've chosen.

You're living the one and only life that God has gifted you, so make it count.

Love,

Sarah and Shannon

nicegiveaway

On that note, let's celebrate being good today. We have some sweet giveaways and links to happy places below:

  1. Our mantra for the day is BE A NICE HUMAN! And guess what? Our dear friend launched a company built to inspire just that! Our new favorite tank reminds everyone we meet to behave nicely in a modern, graphically pleasing font (bonus!). Danielle has generously offered a shirt, bag, candle and bracelet to one lucky person! Sidenote: you'll want to buy some for everyone you know, so here is their facebook page (where they happen to be hosting a giveaway of their own, so go check it out!).
  2. We are all works-in-progress. The Finishing School is a book we genuinely look forward to delving into! Several of our friends have also purchased the pre-order and we plan to work through the chapters together, encouraging one another along the way. Valerie of Val Marie Papers has generously offered a book for one of you!
  3. This little cardi/vest/sweater is the most versatile thing our my closets (yes, we both have one!). Dress it up, dress it down... Wear it as a long sleeveless vest or long-sleeved cozy cardi. Add a tank, skinnies & boots - and you're ready to hit the streets and make good things happen. One lucky winner will receive this beauty, but keep your eye on Buckle for restocks or similar items!
  4. Luxe by Virtue is a good friend's jewelry line. Tracy's pieces are stunning and available only through boutiques and high end retailers... and here for one lucky person! This brand stands for all of the things we love: goodness, righteousness, integrity, dignity, honor, nobility, purity and worthiness (a portion of all proceeds go to Giving Hope NOLA, dedicated to feeding needy elderly in New Orleans). We are so excited to share these pieces with one of you. You can see more of her glistening beauties by following her Instagram and you can purchase online at Shop Bella Vita.
So how do you win? Simply comment below with your BEST ADVICE to other parents about how to raise KIND, GOOD, COURAGEOUS little people. Include true stories, wisdom passed down from generation to generation or practical solutions! 4 winners will be selected from the comments and announced next Thursday. Also, help us support the fine businesses above by liking their pages!

496 comments

  • I’m loving this idea & everyone’s entries. My husband & I have just recently been talking more & more about this with our two 3 year olds as they’re moving up to the next daycare class where they’ll be some of the youngest. We’re lucky to have sweet children who will generally make friends with & seek out the other sweet children. But I do repeat on the way to daycare to listen to their teachers, to say sorry when accidents happen, to say I love you to each other, to share & give hugs when they see a fellow daycare buddy that’s sad. I’m hoping these basics will stick.

    suzstreats on
  • I will leave you all with some advice from my Dad that has stuck with me and I will make sure to repeat it for my kids every chance I get.
    “God don’t like ugly”
    “Nothing good happens after 11:00pm”
    “Worry about yourself and the things you can change- not the things you cannot control.”
    “You’re not right with the Lord until you plant something” * my personal favorite*
    I am sure there are many more that I am missing from my amazing father but those have made me smile and touched my heart. I pray I can provide my children with a more simple life filled with kisses, hugs, front porch sitting and days playing in the dirt. Thank you for this chance to take a moment to think of my beautiful family and the most important things in this life- Our Lord and those we love.

    Wendy Byrd on
  • Love this. :)

    T on
  • My mom and grandma taught me as a child to always be happy and grateful for what you have, never be envious of others, and put God first. Growing up it seemed to sound like a broken record however I am truly thankful for the wisdom offered by them. I now have children of my own to pass along the words of wisdom and to raise kind, loving, generous and God loving kids to one day become the adults that God has planned for them. Although it is not easy these days, consistant reminders are key. Thank you ladies for all you do and for always staying true to yourself. Your awesome!!! Have a great day :)

    landrielain on
  • Be an example; your children are watching and you are their most influential teacher! Volunteer – and take them with you so they can learn how GOOD it feels to give your time and effort and let them feel the joy of volunteering for themselves. Take them out of their comfort zone – a mission to a third world country or serving Thanksgiving dinner at a local food shelter – let them experience for themselves that not everyone lives with the comforts they have and those are real people, not images on television. Share with your children the joy of refusing to live like you don’t care:) Awesome song by the way; one of my favorites.

    Mindi Fox on


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