Working with kids over the past 2 years, I have realized that each child and person is different in their very own way. At some times I have seen kids treated as the "outsider" of their group. Not only have I witnessed this from my job experiences, but also everyday situations when walking through a town or a park. One of the most upsetting things is seeing kids being excluded from a group activity. It's certainly even harder if you know what it's like to be that one kid who doesn't fit in with the group or is chosen last for an activity.
I, myself, have both been the outsider and a person in that group who may not have noticed someone before being left out. From my personal experience, being the odd one out may be the most uncomfortable thing in the world. There is no worse feeling than feeling unwanted, unsure of what to do with yourself, wondering if you're better off just doing your own thing, and questioning if anyone would even notice that you are gone.
As the years go on, I can tell you the feeling of being an outsider may come and go like tidal waves. Recently, I have experienced this after being in a new environment where everyone knows each other and I am just the person who is trying to make new friends and meet new people. Although, in my previous experience I can say it isn't the easiest since there are people who already know each other and have been friends for years. Of course, they have a special bond that has been built throughout the years and joining in on that isn't the easiest.
There is a difference in this situation between males and females, being more significant in females than males. Females tend to have more drama in their lives than males do. Female tend to make the littlest things the biggest issue. For those parents and children who are dealing with this, keep a close eye on that one child or two that may be the outsider. One lesson I believe should be enforced more by parents is making every child feel special and unique because each person has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some people have better social skills than others, and some are stronger in the arts. Overall, if you bring all these types of people together you will have a well-balanced group.
