Shut Up

       I have been taught that it is not nice to say shut up.  But sometimes I am so tempted.  I wonder how people could be so ignorant and clueless.
       I have 2 beautiful daughters.  Big sister has dark hair, big brown eyes and a sweet face.  She is my mini me.  There is no mistaking her as being my daughter.  Little sister has red hair, big blue eyes and an adorable little face.  I know red hair is not common, but people always come up and fawn over little sister.  Yes, babies & toddlers attract attention and the red hair makes the attention even more frequent.  What irks me is when they ignore big sister.  She is standing right there as they go gaga over little sister and then they walk away.  Or worse they look at her and say something like, "Oh, you're cute too."  Then walk away.
       Hello!!!!  Would it really take too much time to say something like, "Oh, you must be the big sister.  I see now that beauty runs in the family."  Don't treat her like 2nd rate or ignore her all together. 
       I am trying to come up with a good set phrase to say when people do this to her.  Something that will not allow big sister to feel the rejection.  I was thinking when they start fussing over little sister I should say, "Yes, God has really blessed me with two very different, but beautiful girls."  or maybe, "I don't know how my husband and I got such 2 beautiful girls."  I don't know.  Something polite that will redirect the conversation.  Although what I'd really like to say is, "Really!  Could you just shut up!!"
        I guess if big sister was clueless and didn't notice I wouldn't care as much.  However, it hurts her.  She is only 7 and I can see she will be a child whose self -esteem is going to need some building up.  She worries that she is fat.  I think this concerns her because she is a big girl.  Most of her friends are very small thin girls.  She towers over most of her friends and is growing so fast.  She tends to bulk out a bit and then shoot up.  She hears my husband and I lament over our weight.  She hears her aunt talking about being on a diet and losing weight.  Now my husband, sister & I are overweight.  However, this talk has made her look at herself critically.  Now she is comparing herself to her friends and has decided that she is fat.
        I am going to arm myself with bible verses that talk about how God sees us and use them to help my daughter to see herself accurately.  I am going to start a dialogue when people are rude and discuss why it is wrong and how it can be hurtful.  Maybe by educating my daughter I can insulate her from some of those ignorant people we encounter.  Hopefully I will be able to turn these lemons in lemonade.