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Pregnant Teacher Outraged By 6YO That Chose To Dress Up As Her For Halloween, Kid Left In Tears
Interview With Expert
Kids love horsing around and pulling people’s legs, it’s all a part of being a child and doing crazy things, so it’s a given that all their actions must not be taken seriously. After all, we were all kids once upon a time, and did some funny things too that we didn’t even realize.
The original poster’s (OP) daughter adored her pregnant teacher so much that she decided to dress up as her for Halloween by stuffing a basketball under her robes. Apparently, this was disrespectful to the teacher, who demanded she keep apologizing to her, but her mom put her foot down!
More info: Reddit
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Kids tend to do some things where the intent is not really harmful, but some people might take it that way
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster’s 6-year-old daughter is very fond of her first-grade teacher and was delighted to find out that she was pregnant
Image credits: Stunning-Run2599
Image credits: Helena Lopes / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Come Halloween, the kid dressed up as Luna Lovegood, but then put a basketball under her robes and said she dressed up as her teacher
Image credits: Stunning-Run2599
Image credits: Mikhail Nilov / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The teacher found this very rude and disrespectful and kept repeating it to the kid and her mom was also called to the school
Image credits: Stunning-Run2599
The kid was in tears and apologized, but the teacher expected an apology again the next day, so the poster put her foot down and refused
In today’s story, the poster tells us about how a pregnant teacher expected multiple apologies from her daughter, all because she dressed up as her for Halloween. The mom informs us that her 6-year-old daughter is quite a funny and curious little girl who absolutely loves her first-grade teacher and was delighted to find out that she was pregnant and about to have a baby.
To understand the teacher-student relationship better, Bored Panda reached out to teacher and principal Jyoti D., who has been in the teaching profession for the past 21 years. She spoke about how children often form strong attachments to their teachers because teachers play an important role in their emotional and social development.
She added how this attachment is generally a healthy part of childhood, as it helps kids feel secure and supported while learning independence and social skills. Just like any other child, OP’s daughter also felt attached to her teacher, so when Halloween came, she couldn’t resist.
Although she dressed up as Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter initially, she later stuffed a basketball under her robes and told her teacher that she was dressed up as her. To be honest, it seems like a sweet and innocent gesture from a child, but the teacher probably took it in a different way as she felt extremely disrespected by it.
According to Jyoti, “Children between the ages of 4 to 6 are still learning basic social rules and are often egocentric, meaning they tend to view the world from their own perspective. They may understand that certain actions have consequences, but they typically lack the ability to fully consider how their actions affect others’ feelings.”
“If they hurt someone, they may see it only as a ‘bad’ act, not necessarily understanding the difference between accidental and intentional harm,” she added. From the daughter’s actions, it was obvious that she didn’t mean any intentional harm to the teacher; she was just impersonating her as she loved her so much.
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Most importantly, she also apologized for her actions after she realized that her teacher was not happy with what she did. The teacher was not satisfied with just one apology but wanted it again the next day and the mom simply refused as she felt her kid had learned her lesson. Not only was she in tears but she later kept asking the poster whether her teacher hated her and if she was a “bad girl”. How sad is that?
Jyoti narrated how teachers have a unique opportunity to guide children with empathy and sensitivity if they make innocent but potentially sensitive comments/actions. She noted how staying calm, acknowledging the child’s true intent, and gently redirecting and educating them are crucial rather than constantly accusing them to the point where they burst into tears.
While commenting on this incident, Jyoti mentioned, “It is incredibly important for a student to feel ‘forgiven’ after a disciplinary event, as this sense of forgiveness fosters a positive learning environment and supports the child’s emotional well-being and personal growth. When students feel forgiven, they are more likely to learn from the experience, build trust with their teachers, and regain a sense of belonging.”
On the other hand, our expert also emphasized the impact on the child when they don’t feel forgiven and how it can affect their self-image. She claimed that at a young age, children are still developing a sense of self and learning how to interpret social feedback, so they are particularly sensitive to how adults respond to their actions.
She added that when reprimanded strongly, they may start to feel that they are bad, not just that they made a poor choice. In Jyoti’s opinion, This can lead to a fixed self-view, where they see themselves as “troublemakers” or “bad kids,” which can harm their self-esteem and overall sense of worth.
She concluded, “When children unintentionally hurt or upset others, they might naturally feel some level of guilt, especially if they care about the person affected. However, prolonged or repeated reprimands can intensify this guilt, turning it into shame, which is more damaging and harder to overcome.”
Well, it’s a good thing that her mom put her foot down and refused to make her daughter apologize all over again for an unintentional mistake that was actually made out of love. So, do you agree with what the poster did? Type away your thoughts in the comments section!
Most folks were horrified by the teacher’s reaction to what was actually a very sweet gesture, while some blamed her pregnancy hormones for it
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What do you think ?
Susie Elle 1 month ago
I think the teacher is experiencing some heavy body image issues. How can anyone be SO offended by a 6-year-old sticking a basketball underneath her clothing and pretending she's pregnant? If your self-esteem can't survive the things a literal child will say or do, you've got other things to worry about.
Nikole 1 month ago
When I was 5 and my mom was pregnant with my brother, I used to play a game I called “Big Tummy” wherein I’d put a pillow under my shirt. My mom thought it was adorable.
Load More Replies...
Janelle Collard 1 month ago (edited)
The teacher owes the apology for overreacting. A SIX-YEAR-OLD loves her teacher, is excited teach is preg + wanted to be her preg teach for Halloween. HOW is any of that disrespectful? That poor kid is now traumatized cuz teach has a stick up her kazoo. Yeah, yeah - pregnancy hormones, blah blah blah.
Angela C 1 month ago
Hormones aren't an excuse for treating people poorly, especially a child. What's this teacher gonna do if her child does something similar when they're older?
Load More Replies... AKA AKA 1 month ago
the hormones must be getting to her if she's screaming at a kid for a second apology just for dressing up as her. fgs kids immitate people they like ,she should have been honored but instead she ruined some little kid's day. i don't think that kid should have apologised once.
Little Miss Lady 1 month ago
I agree with many others who are saying the teacher is insecure about her changing body. She is taking out her insecurities on a six-year-old who loves her teacher. I mean, isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery? She's a curious little girl who was simply trying to immitate her teacher because she looks up to her. It's really that simple. According to Piaget, children from ages 2-7 are in the preoperational stage of development. They actively engage in imaginative play, like pretending to be a superhero or a doctor (or their favorite teacher).They may still have difficulty seeing things from another person's perspective, and their complex logical reasoning is still in development. I feel sorry for the little girl in this situation, because it seems like the behavior was innocent, not malicious. The teacher was projecting her own insecurities on the child's behavior. What's concerning is the fact this teacher lacks the emotional maturity to handle situations like an adult.
Little Miss Lady 1 month ago
Replying to add the teacher could have better handled the situation by talking to the little girl privately and say something like, "I know you care about me, and I care about you too, but when you behave like this, it hurts my feelings. Since we care about each other, we need to be careful not to behave in ways that might hurt each other's feelings." You can't just automatically expect kids to understand things from an adult perspective. They're little humans and need to be taught from a place of love, compassion, and understanding. The fact this poor girl was asking her mother if she is a "bad girl" makes my blood boil. Children aren't bad. Behavior is. How this teacher got her degree without taking child development courses is beyond me.
Load More Replies... Paul Rabit 1 month ago
I'd have unleashed on that teacher. Pregnant or no, a teacher of SIX YEAR OLDs should understand when a child is or is not being malicious. Shame on that teacher.
Manny 1 month ago
This so called teacher got her wittle feelings hurt over a six year old? She is clearly in the wrong profession. If she acted this way over a halloween costume (has she ever heard the saying impersonating is a form of flattery) how she gonna act in class if they get a question wrong?? Good grief. Maybe the teacher should take her maternity leave now and do some major thinking about her career around kids.
Roberta Surprenant 1 month ago
Tell teacher one more time that the girl loved and wanted to be like her, but not to worry because she doesn't want to be like that teacher at all now.
zovjraar me 1 month ago
i assume the teacher knew that she would "get bigger" during her pregnancy. but instead of being flattered that one of her students wants to be just like her, she gets... offended? by a six year old? i guess let the kid know that some people are very sensitive about their bodies, and not to talk or reference other people's bodies, but i can't imagine what other lesson could be taught to the kid here. don't meet your heroes?? people suck??
Spittnimage 1 month ago
Feel sorry for what the teacher's kid will be subjected to as it grows up.
michelle s 1 month ago
The teacher, needs to behave! The only time a joke should require an apology is when it is done with the intention of mocking someone. The child, yes a child was not joking was trying to show admiration for someone in her life that makes a different to her life (obviously I know the child would not be able express it in those terms but that is what is going on there). The correct response would be from OP to teacher, sorry you were offended my child did not mean it in the way you have taken it. She will not be expected to make a public apology as she did nothing inappropriate as there was no malicious intention in the activity. If you continue to persecute her for this I will be taking this further as it is not how a role model behaves. As for those admonishing the OP for taking her child for ice cream, please already I say ! She was comforting her child as an adult was being mean to her, bullying comes in all forms and a teaching professional should know better
Nadine Debard 1 month ago
Gosh I was a weird little girl that could have done this even at 12 yo. Because I admired some of my teachers and would totally impersonate them to show. I'm pretty sure this happened at least once. This teacher is nuts and bad for reacting this way after explanation and apologies.
Alexandra Prytkova 1 month ago
I'm sorry, perhaps I come from a different culture, where being pregnant is considered a joyfull afair, but GOD GRACIOUS, what is wrong with that teacher? If a child came to me with that "costume" I would be proud they appreciated me enough to try to emulate me. Ugh. That woman shouldn't be working with kids period, but even less so if she's too hormonal to control herself and bullies children.
Janelle Collard 1 month ago
I really hope OP was able to get her poor daughter into a *better* teacher's classroom.
Debbie 1 month ago
The child is still pure. Pure in questions and motives, and now that purity is tainted. Distrust, hurt, and doubt about her actions. It's great to see and hear children being pure. Asking questions without shame because they are curious, not out of malice. Copying out of admiration, not out of bodyshaming. They hopefully don't know about "how a body should look" and this cannot bodyshame because to them, a body just IS. They accept how it is and they don't see bad in it. Untill they are told that a pregnant body is something to feel ashamed of. To feel insecure about. That a pregnant belly should be ignored and that you should pretend nothing is different when someone is changing in front of you. The teacher should apologize and find a different job. And, ask her in 7 years what she thinks, after having a 6 year old of her own.
Israel Martinez 1 month ago
This is one of those "IWAMFW" situation for me ... no apology was necessary ... the call to come in was unnecessary ... what would be necessary is keeping the daughter away from the teacher ... the ice cream was totally necessary ...
Dana Gordon 1 month ago (edited)
NTA- but everyone is missing a learning opportunity. The child will learn better with a reasoned conversation about empathy. We might have thought she was overreacting, but empathy is about considering the other's feelings regardless. She missed the opportunity to share her reaction, listen to child's perspective and then kindly talk about appropriate vs sensitive comments & hurt feelings. Instead the child is scared, nervous and thinks she's 'bad'.
Dina Zikopoulos 1 month ago
why the hate for the mom? perfect opportunity to sit, calm down a bit, and TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED! mom wanting her child to feel better does not undermine a lesson learned. personally, i would like to have a chat with teacher and principle just to smooth some feathers. when people are calm it's much easier to have a conversation. when son #2 got in trouble in kindergarten with a girl, we sat down, talked, and also made her a little trinket box to show her he was really sorry. well, i must say, she was tickled pink. he's 21 now and he remembers doing that and so does she. still friends too. :)
Lyoness 1 month ago (edited)
The teacher overreacted for sure and asking for a second apology is way overdoing it. I do kind of wonder at the mom taking her kid for ice cream afterward. It's OK for kids to experience negative feelings, meaning she will need to learn to understand how she feels as she gets older, not avoid it. A talk about appropriate behaviour, how the teacher was overreacting, comfort and cuddles were in order, not ice cream and a good time. The focus should be on how the child was impacted and how they feel about it, not teaching the kid that food equals comfort. Edit for spelling.
Deborah B 1 month ago
I'd tell the kid to apologise "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings yesterday." Yes, she's apologised already, and the teacher overreacted and had a meltdown. Which do you value more, your daughter's good relationship with a teacher she loves, or maintaining your stance that bodyshaming jokes should only be apologised for one time? "It was only a joke, you're overreacting" is no longer an excuse we accept for bodyshaming. I think empathy is something you struggle with - your first reaction was to laugh. You then rewarded your kid with icecream to soothe her own hurt feelings, instead of saying "Making jokes about someone can really hurt their feelings. Sometimes it can take a while for them to stop hurting, even after we say we're sorry. She had a really big reaction, and that wasn't fair, because I know you weren't mean on purpose. Tomorrow, once she's calmed down, you can tell her you're sorry again, and then you'll both feel better." ESH.
Noneofyourbusiness 1 month ago
Absolutely not! She didn't owe her an apology in the first place, but she absolutely does not owe her a second apology. That teacher needs to learn that 6-year-olds do that kind of thing, they don't think about what they're doing and she loves her teacher and wanted to be like her and she was emulating her, not body shaming her! And if you think that a six year old is body shaming a pregnant teacher then you need your head checked!
Load More Replies...
Susie Elle 1 month ago
I think the teacher is experiencing some heavy body image issues. How can anyone be SO offended by a 6-year-old sticking a basketball underneath her clothing and pretending she's pregnant? If your self-esteem can't survive the things a literal child will say or do, you've got other things to worry about.
Nikole 1 month ago
When I was 5 and my mom was pregnant with my brother, I used to play a game I called “Big Tummy” wherein I’d put a pillow under my shirt. My mom thought it was adorable.
Load More Replies... Janelle Collard 1 month ago (edited)
The teacher owes the apology for overreacting. A SIX-YEAR-OLD loves her teacher, is excited teach is preg + wanted to be her preg teach for Halloween. HOW is any of that disrespectful? That poor kid is now traumatized cuz teach has a stick up her kazoo. Yeah, yeah - pregnancy hormones, blah blah blah.
Angela C 1 month ago
Hormones aren't an excuse for treating people poorly, especially a child. What's this teacher gonna do if her child does something similar when they're older?
Load More Replies... AKA AKA 1 month ago
the hormones must be getting to her if she's screaming at a kid for a second apology just for dressing up as her. fgs kids immitate people they like ,she should have been honored but instead she ruined some little kid's day. i don't think that kid should have apologised once.
Little Miss Lady 1 month ago
I agree with many others who are saying the teacher is insecure about her changing body. She is taking out her insecurities on a six-year-old who loves her teacher. I mean, isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery? She's a curious little girl who was simply trying to immitate her teacher because she looks up to her. It's really that simple. According to Piaget, children from ages 2-7 are in the preoperational stage of development. They actively engage in imaginative play, like pretending to be a superhero or a doctor (or their favorite teacher).They may still have difficulty seeing things from another person's perspective, and their complex logical reasoning is still in development. I feel sorry for the little girl in this situation, because it seems like the behavior was innocent, not malicious. The teacher was projecting her own insecurities on the child's behavior. What's concerning is the fact this teacher lacks the emotional maturity to handle situations like an adult.
Little Miss Lady 1 month ago
Replying to add the teacher could have better handled the situation by talking to the little girl privately and say something like, "I know you care about me, and I care about you too, but when you behave like this, it hurts my feelings. Since we care about each other, we need to be careful not to behave in ways that might hurt each other's feelings." You can't just automatically expect kids to understand things from an adult perspective. They're little humans and need to be taught from a place of love, compassion, and understanding. The fact this poor girl was asking her mother if she is a "bad girl" makes my blood boil. Children aren't bad. Behavior is. How this teacher got her degree without taking child development courses is beyond me.
Load More Replies... Paul Rabit 1 month ago
I'd have unleashed on that teacher. Pregnant or no, a teacher of SIX YEAR OLDs should understand when a child is or is not being malicious. Shame on that teacher.
Manny 1 month ago
This so called teacher got her wittle feelings hurt over a six year old? She is clearly in the wrong profession. If she acted this way over a halloween costume (has she ever heard the saying impersonating is a form of flattery) how she gonna act in class if they get a question wrong?? Good grief. Maybe the teacher should take her maternity leave now and do some major thinking about her career around kids.
Roberta Surprenant 1 month ago
Tell teacher one more time that the girl loved and wanted to be like her, but not to worry because she doesn't want to be like that teacher at all now.
zovjraar me 1 month ago
i assume the teacher knew that she would "get bigger" during her pregnancy. but instead of being flattered that one of her students wants to be just like her, she gets... offended? by a six year old? i guess let the kid know that some people are very sensitive about their bodies, and not to talk or reference other people's bodies, but i can't imagine what other lesson could be taught to the kid here. don't meet your heroes?? people suck??
Spittnimage 1 month ago
Feel sorry for what the teacher's kid will be subjected to as it grows up.
michelle s 1 month ago
The teacher, needs to behave! The only time a joke should require an apology is when it is done with the intention of mocking someone. The child, yes a child was not joking was trying to show admiration for someone in her life that makes a different to her life (obviously I know the child would not be able express it in those terms but that is what is going on there). The correct response would be from OP to teacher, sorry you were offended my child did not mean it in the way you have taken it. She will not be expected to make a public apology as she did nothing inappropriate as there was no malicious intention in the activity. If you continue to persecute her for this I will be taking this further as it is not how a role model behaves. As for those admonishing the OP for taking her child for ice cream, please already I say ! She was comforting her child as an adult was being mean to her, bullying comes in all forms and a teaching professional should know better
Nadine Debard 1 month ago
Gosh I was a weird little girl that could have done this even at 12 yo. Because I admired some of my teachers and would totally impersonate them to show. I'm pretty sure this happened at least once. This teacher is nuts and bad for reacting this way after explanation and apologies.
Alexandra Prytkova 1 month ago
I'm sorry, perhaps I come from a different culture, where being pregnant is considered a joyfull afair, but GOD GRACIOUS, what is wrong with that teacher? If a child came to me with that "costume" I would be proud they appreciated me enough to try to emulate me. Ugh. That woman shouldn't be working with kids period, but even less so if she's too hormonal to control herself and bullies children.
Janelle Collard 1 month ago
I really hope OP was able to get her poor daughter into a *better* teacher's classroom.
Debbie 1 month ago
The child is still pure. Pure in questions and motives, and now that purity is tainted. Distrust, hurt, and doubt about her actions. It's great to see and hear children being pure. Asking questions without shame because they are curious, not out of malice. Copying out of admiration, not out of bodyshaming. They hopefully don't know about "how a body should look" and this cannot bodyshame because to them, a body just IS. They accept how it is and they don't see bad in it. Untill they are told that a pregnant body is something to feel ashamed of. To feel insecure about. That a pregnant belly should be ignored and that you should pretend nothing is different when someone is changing in front of you. The teacher should apologize and find a different job. And, ask her in 7 years what she thinks, after having a 6 year old of her own.
Israel Martinez 1 month ago
This is one of those "IWAMFW" situation for me ... no apology was necessary ... the call to come in was unnecessary ... what would be necessary is keeping the daughter away from the teacher ... the ice cream was totally necessary ...
Dana Gordon 1 month ago (edited)
NTA- but everyone is missing a learning opportunity. The child will learn better with a reasoned conversation about empathy. We might have thought she was overreacting, but empathy is about considering the other's feelings regardless. She missed the opportunity to share her reaction, listen to child's perspective and then kindly talk about appropriate vs sensitive comments & hurt feelings. Instead the child is scared, nervous and thinks she's 'bad'.
Dina Zikopoulos 1 month ago
why the hate for the mom? perfect opportunity to sit, calm down a bit, and TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED! mom wanting her child to feel better does not undermine a lesson learned. personally, i would like to have a chat with teacher and principle just to smooth some feathers. when people are calm it's much easier to have a conversation. when son #2 got in trouble in kindergarten with a girl, we sat down, talked, and also made her a little trinket box to show her he was really sorry. well, i must say, she was tickled pink. he's 21 now and he remembers doing that and so does she. still friends too. :)
Lyoness 1 month ago (edited)
The teacher overreacted for sure and asking for a second apology is way overdoing it. I do kind of wonder at the mom taking her kid for ice cream afterward. It's OK for kids to experience negative feelings, meaning she will need to learn to understand how she feels as she gets older, not avoid it. A talk about appropriate behaviour, how the teacher was overreacting, comfort and cuddles were in order, not ice cream and a good time. The focus should be on how the child was impacted and how they feel about it, not teaching the kid that food equals comfort. Edit for spelling.
Deborah B 1 month ago
I'd tell the kid to apologise "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings yesterday." Yes, she's apologised already, and the teacher overreacted and had a meltdown. Which do you value more, your daughter's good relationship with a teacher she loves, or maintaining your stance that bodyshaming jokes should only be apologised for one time? "It was only a joke, you're overreacting" is no longer an excuse we accept for bodyshaming. I think empathy is something you struggle with - your first reaction was to laugh. You then rewarded your kid with icecream to soothe her own hurt feelings, instead of saying "Making jokes about someone can really hurt their feelings. Sometimes it can take a while for them to stop hurting, even after we say we're sorry. She had a really big reaction, and that wasn't fair, because I know you weren't mean on purpose. Tomorrow, once she's calmed down, you can tell her you're sorry again, and then you'll both feel better." ESH.
Noneofyourbusiness 1 month ago
Absolutely not! She didn't owe her an apology in the first place, but she absolutely does not owe her a second apology. That teacher needs to learn that 6-year-olds do that kind of thing, they don't think about what they're doing and she loves her teacher and wanted to be like her and she was emulating her, not body shaming her! And if you think that a six year old is body shaming a pregnant teacher then you need your head checked!
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