Reese Witherspoon's school trauma

Mar 1, 2008, 7:35 GMT

02/20/2008 - Reese Witherspoon - "Penelope" Hollywood Premiere - Arrivals - The Directors Guild of America Theater - West Hollywood, CA, USA © Glenn Harris / PR Photos

Reese Witherspoon was bullied at school for wearing glasses and being short.

The 31-year-old beauty - who stars in and is the executive producer of new movie 'Penelope', about a woman who is born with a facial defect - has revealed she was constantly teased and tormented when she was growing up.

She said: "I was teased quite a bit. I was a four-eyed square with glasses and I was picked on because of my weird, short-person walk."

Although the childhood jibes hurt her, Reese insists she has learnt to accept her "flaws".

She said: "At the end of the day, you just have to accept what you have been given and appreciate the flaws. You can't get too down on it."

Reese recently revealed she wants her two children, eight-year-old Ava and Deacon, four, with ex-husband Ryan Philippe to be bullied at school because it will be good for them.

She said: "I wouldn't want my children to miss out on any of that teasing and bullying. I think it makes you what you are. These days everyone wins an award and everyone is named Most Valuable Player? No! They're not.

"I distinctly recall the two weeks of crying because I didn't make the softball team. It made me interesting. Hopefully, it helps kids really understand who they are."

(C) BANG Media International