When I was in my third to last year in high school... I had a friend... who had a boyfriend... Who was born with his legs intertwined together and they surgicly had to seperate them... I can't remember when... Maybe when he was three years old. His legs were uneven. The right leg was larger than the left leg because the way they seperated them they were uneven. You know what? He was one of the most popular kids at high school because... He was such a nice guy.
Dealing with physical ailments can be hard. For adults and for adolescents and for children. I'm temped to say that adolescents have the hardest time because their self doubts come in time when their peers are most critical. Some adolescents have braces, for example. Let them meet their peers at high school reuinions and see how much straight teeth matter! Let them meet their peers and discover that the 'cool kids' often develop a life of teen pregnancy and substance abuse while the 'uncool kids' develop straight teeth and professions in law or medicine. Extreme examples, to be sure. All I'm saying is that yes, your kid is indeed likely to have a hard time of it from her peers in general. Will it make her a better / more sensitive / more kind person? With the support of her family who loves her regardless, sure. The braces will come off one day and then what will she be left with? Internalised representations of a family who love her no matter what. In the case of my friend popularity because he never had a nasty word to say to anyone and because he was such a nice (and sexy) guy. Will your daughter be able to develop this? Sure she will. It must be hard for her now to be sure, but for her future... It could well make her a more sensitive person to the plight of others. Horrible thing... But benefits to be had to be sure...
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