"They will be amazing adults. The hard part will be getting them to adulthood."

That's what my girlfriend once said about her son and mine. Both boys are sensitive, loving, trusting, compassionate and thoughtful young men. There's no doubt in my mind that they will both go on to do incredible things with their lives, always thinking of others. My girlfriend subscribes to the same parenting style as I do - tough love with focus on responsibility for yourself, for your surroundings and for others. I think of her quote often especially when my son comes home feeling defeated.

"You are an IDIOT!" the eight-year-old kickball pitcher yelled across the school gymnasium at my son, who asked for a do-over.

Whether in the school gym or on the playground, the son I raised is a mean kid's dream. He never fights back, he thinks. "You are not an idiot, Handsome. That boy is unhappy on the inside. Name calling is the only thing he's got. It's sad." I consoled him after school today. We've had our fair share of mean kids drama, this year. Do you know how demoralizing it is to ask your child over and over again to repeat mean spirited words that were directed at him?  "Get my hearing checked, Mama. He said 'I wish you were dead' to me. I heard it." File that under: CONVERSATIONS YOU NEVER WANT TO HAVE WITH YOUR CHILDREN. Google "Jonah Mowry". It breaks my heart.

The bullies I had, as an immigrant growing up in an affluent suburb (exactly my son's age now), still haunt me today. From third grade until my Freshman year of high school, I hid. In that dark dungeon of lockers for misfits at the tender age of fourteen, snuggled in-between Reena Patel and Nikolai Petrov and very close to Big John who required special elevator assistance, I found my tribe who taught me to appreciate people. I wrote in 2010 titled, "Something, I never told my mom."

I hope that my son finds his tribe soon; but, in the meantime I hope he tells me everything.

I've introduced something extra this year to my kids, especially to my son. It's called complete honesty. In exchange for him telling me the honest truth about everything that happens to him, I've agreed to be honest about everything. He has learned that the tooth fairy doesn't exist because it's just silly magic parents create to celebrate milestones. He's asked me more personal questions and I've answered them as best I could, which cured his appetite for knowledge. He has pulled me aside, away from his sisters, to ask me about Santa. I've never lied, not once. Every question he has asked, I've answered honestly. We have this unbelievable bond right now. He has complete trust in me and I in him and I never want that broken. Let's pray that it's enough open communication to conquer all the mean people in his life he will meet until adulthood. Because... this kid, this kid is going to make one heck of an adult.