Popularity.

Popularity.  I am really tired of hearing.  My children will tell me who is popular and who is not.  My son asks me why a person is popular when they are so mean.  My daughter will not be able to tell me why a child is popular just that they are perceived to be so.

What makes someone popular?  Does it change depending on where you are in your life?  Is it dependent upon your stuff?  How big your house is?  What kind of snack you bring to school?

Are you proud because your child is considered popular?  Happy that they are invited to all of the birthday parties?  Why is that?  Is it because your child is kind?  Who is your child kind to?  The quiet kids?  The loners?  The special needs kids?  The kids that aren't anything like them?

No, probably not.  At least not in the crazy world that is adolescence.  There is really no rhyme or reason to who is popular but I can tell you one thing that I have observed.  It is never the person that I, as an adult, think should be popular.

The only conclusion I can draw from my observations is that these individuals have a short lived popularity.  Middle school is their mountain top.  It is all downhill from here.  If your popularity is based on picking on the little guy that will eventually get old.  If your popularity is based on your stuff, you might be popular in the future but it will be a superficial popularity and to be quite honest I think that might be worse.  To not know who your true friends are?  To not have a friend that if you needed them and there was nothing you could do for them they would still show up no questions asked.

Do not base your self worth on the opinions of those around you.  You might be sitting in the middle of a brood of vipers.  Find people that have the same likes that you do, and if sometimes that is just you that is perfectly ok God knows what you need, he will provide.

Be kind.