if not me...
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
On that note, let's celebrate being good today. We have some sweet giveaways and links to happy places below:
- 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!).
- 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!
- 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!
- 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.
Practice what you preach. If you want to raise a nice good little human then you need to show them what that looks like by setting that example. Always be kind and tender and think before you speak for what comes out of your mouth will be coming out of your childrens… Think how what you say will sound coming from a 3 yr old. Show love always. There will never be too much love.
Something that was taught to me as a child that still rings true today is to treat others as you would like to be treated. The golden rule is an easy rule for us to teach our children. If we see someone that needs a door opened or an extra hand we should stop to help them and not just walk by. We need to instill in our children that even a small act of kindness can change someone’s life. Everyone has their own personal demons that they deal with; any positive impact that we may exhibit could be life altering. The small change could create an army; an army that can change the world!
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. -Ephisans 2:10
I try to and will continue to try and teach my two young daughters the importance of love. To try and see the world through God’s eyes and to love EVERYONE. I believe it’s as simple as that. Life is about loving and being loved.
My sweet 5 year old started kindergarten this week; my wonderful, innocent, very loved baby bird has wings. As we stand there waiting for the front door of the school to open, both sets of grandparents, aunts and uncles all standing towards the back of the crowd wiping away tears, knowing this is the door to the rest of her life. No more mommy kissing skinned knees, daddy holding her up on her bike or brother giving her a hug. … it is the real world. Where people aren’t always nice and you will be faced with meanness you never knew existed; where phrases like “it’s a dog eat dog world” and “better them than me”originate. She lets go of my hand and runs up to a little girl she met briefly at “popcicles on the playground”. Two pony tails, red face from crying, the girl is huddled behind her very distraught mom. “I’m Ava,” my daughter proudly exclaims, “you had a red popcicle.” And gives her a huge open hug only a kid can give. “My mom said that I would make all new friends at school,but she was wrong! You are an old friend!” The little girl slowly removes herself from her mother’s side and says, “I’m Greyson”. 5 minutes later our girls are walking down the hallway hand in hand towards their class; together. I learned from my mother that a brief moment of kindness or compassion towards those around you can make a lifetime’s difference for those who have been shown none. If we all took the view that my daughter did on Monday, the lady at the check out counter, the postal worker that delivers your mail, the produce manager at the grocery store, all have the potential to be your “old friend” Be kind to one another because you never know the strength of your words and actions, both good and bad; and you never know when you may need that kindness in return-even if it is just to walk through the open classroom door at the end of the hallway.
I love the idea of killing the world with kindness…this is my motto. I’m an elementary school counselor, a wife, and a doting mother to a beautiful baby girl. The most important advice I would give anyone about raising KIND, GOOD, and COURAGEOUS children would be to BE a KIND, GOOD, AND COURAGEOUS person! Set the example! Raise the bar of expectations in your child’s life.
So many children are afraid to stand alone in this world of followers…this is so true for grown-ups, too. How can adults teach about bullying if they’re being bullies in real life themselves? The BST world is full of these types, and it is highly disappointing and heartbreaking.
The only hope any of us have is to pray over our babies and the children they interact with, because the world will come after them at some point. We can only hope we’ve instilled enough wisdom in them to be their own person…to rise above adversity…and to not be too afraid to stand a part from the crowd.
Bullying is at an all time high…even in the elementary school I work for. This terrifies me as a mother to a daughter. Girl bullying is the worse! Words are cruel, and kids know how to use them. Where are they learning this behavior? Who is monitoring them? The only thing I can figure is that they are not getting enough of what they need as tiny humans. WE NEED TO BE THE KIND OF PARENTS THAT PARENT…the parents these children need! We must be a positive influence in their lives.
WDW highlights the innocence of childhood. Let’s fight like wolves to maintain it! BE THE EXAMPLE! Let’s pray to be better, so they can be better. Let’s raise up babies that love one another and help us to remember what life is all about…the good stuff. They are the future. Let’s build them up to handle what life throws at them.
God bless you! Be a blessing and have a WONDERFUL day! xoxo