With all the stories in the media about bullies and suicides for example this one happened near me Parent: Hamilton Middle School Ignored Bullying Concerns, I thought I would share an experience I had growing up with a bullying.
Have you ever had your parents say to you don’t do that or your face will free like that? Well it’s true, I used to try to block out some noise by folding over my ears well it ended up causing my ears to stick out. I was taller than most everyone in my class and I had ears that stuck out, that was two things I was teased about.
I was in the second grade class of Ms. Sanchez at Rio Grande Elementary school in Belen New Mexico. I lived out in a very rural area, cable didn’t exist and most people lived on half acre or more. There were maybe 10 kids that lived in this area. Not many kids around to play with.
One particular kid we will call Landon, was my bully. I don’t know what I ever did to him, I would guess nothing because I was a shy kid, never bothering anyone, and you could say I was a nerd. One day he went to Ms. Sanchez and told her that I tried to shoot him with a BB gun while we were in our neighborhood. For that I was sent to the principal’s office, I don’t recall what happened at the principal’s office but I know I wasn’t in trouble but I missed that day worth of class. I told my parents and they said to wait and see if it happened again. Then either the next day or a few days later I don’t recall something similar happened, and I was sent back to the principal’s office. I don’t recall anything ever happening, but I do recall crying at night when I got home from school. I hated second grade.
I don’t recall what happened with the bullying but I think things turned out ok for me. I don’t think that it was worth suicide, nor do I think I would have thought about committing suicide back then.
I want to say if you are a victim of a bully talk to your parents, talk to your parents, your teacher, any teacher or any other adult. They will help you, if not talk to a police officer they will help. If you are a bully, stop it now.
I so agree Chris. I was bullied at school for being a plump, brainiac red head. From what I remember all the bullying was verbal, unlike what my kids face, which is physical bullying.
ReplyDeleteAs parents I think we should all be very clearly telling our children that hurting other emotionally and physically is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.
I was also a victim. They teased me because I looked like a stick and to top it off I was taller than most, thin long hair that they would constantly pull while I walked to do something on the blackboard. Elementary, middle and high school, were never what I expected, even my cousins made fun of me because I used their hand-me-downs and I was raised with my grandparents. I didn't have a childhood or teenage years....
ReplyDeleteThe only memory of a bullying instance I have was in fourth grade, where a couple of boys called me ugly. Whether they really thought it, or were doing what some boys do at that age and express their "like" of someone in the opposite way, I don't know. I don't even remember the boys names anymore, but I do remember the incident.
ReplyDeleteMy husband, on the other hand, was bullied a bit more. He was a stick-thin kid and had large ears, which his bully liked to flick, hard.
I sure hope my daughter doesn't experience bullying once she gets into grade school, but if she does, I hope she will be able to talk to us about it.
Niki,
ReplyDeleteThat was similar to me, I was super tall compared to every other kid. My daughter was bullied by a neighborhood kid, but I caught her and fixed it quickly.