KIDS AT SCHOOL STARTED SAYING MY EIGHT-YEAR-OLD LOOKED PREGNANT—

My eight-year-old daughter’s body was changing—longer limbs, a rounder belly—normal for her age. But one day, she slammed the car door, avoiding my eyes. That night, brushing her hair, she said, “The boys at lunch said I look pregnant.” She didn’t understand, but the words hurt. She grew quiet, withdrawn, her spark dimming. Then, she broke down, sobbing: kids, boys and girls, kept mocking her, saying she looked pregnant. My heart

shattered. She was humiliated for her natural growth. At school, I heard cruel laughter: “There’s the pregnant one.” Furious but calm, I confronted her teacher, expecting urgency. Instead, I got dismissal: “It’s just teasing.” This wasn’t teasing—it was body-shaming, bullying. My daughter was unraveling, and I vowed to protect her, determined to stop this cruelty.