I hate the term brat

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Working in the job I work at I've found I've come to hate the term "brat". There are definitely kids who are not the best behaved and who drive me nuts from time to time but almost all of these kids can be sweet and have this whole other side of them that someone who isn't with them day after day just doesn't see. I also hate that term because when my son was younger someone may have seen his behavior and deemed him a "brat" too because they didn't see him all the time. They didn't see what lead up to his bad behavior. You just have no idea what a lot of these kids are going through. It's so easy to see some bad behavior and deem them to be brats. It drives me nuts when people who see these kids at recess or lunch say these kids are brats because they see them at their worst. They see them when they're excited to be with their friends and when they're hungry. They don't see the kid who acts up a lot but also who will drop everything to help a friend. They don't see those softer and sweeter sides of these kids. When you aren't around a kid all day you just can't know. I will always defend these kids because I know and love them. I know how badly behaved they can be but I also know how sweet and caring they can be. I know how rough some of them have it at home and when they're at school they act out probably trying to get attention from their family or maybe they're just tired from listening to their parents argue all night or hungry because their parents didn't make sure they ate. These kids aren't brats. They're kids who sometimes act horribly but who aren't horrible. There's a difference between acting bad and being bad. I tend to love the more challenging kids because I see them. I see them struggling and I see behind that mask they often put up. I have no problem putting them in their place when they need it and making sure they know their behavior is not ok but I'm also quick to praise their kindness because that's what they need. I am so tired of hearing people who don't know these kids calling them brats. I love these kids for who they are and who they have the potential to become with the right guidance. It makes me sad knowing some may end up going down the wrong path. Every person who is incarcerated right now was a child once and most of them didn't have the best home lives. I know there are some kids who had good families that end up there but a lot of the time environment plays a very big part in who they become. I always say the group of kids I work with are a rough group because they are. They are a lot and I honestly didn't want to move up with them because while I love them I wanted a break but that said I don't think they're brats. I think they can act horribly but I don't think they are horrible and I'm kind of glad I did get to move up with them because seeing a lot of their progress from last year has been amazing. Yes, they drive me nuts but I love them and I want what is best for them. I get very defensive when someone calls them brats because they aren't. They are so much more than their bad behavior. I know this group in particular is rowdier than a lot of the other grades but a lot of them come from rough homes and we have several that are either in foster homes or living with other relatives due to having parents who didn't take care of them the way they should and a lot of them have seen some things or been through some things most people shouldn't have to see or go through at any age let alone such a young age.