Bullying

My two oldest are in school and we’ve had to deal with bullies quite a bit.  I also had to deal with bullies growing up, as I’m sure everyone did.  The difference now is the technology – even as few as 15 years ago, ‘cyberbullying’ didn’t really exist (and when it did happen, there were few laws even broaching the subject).  If you were bullied, it happened at school or in public. When you went home, you were safe from that – now, it’s constant.  Text messages, e-mails, IMs, Facebook, Myspace, all of it – there are countless ways to pick on someone online.  That’s why it’s so important to actually pay attention to your kids when they’re on the computer.  Keep them in the common areas, institute time limits, be their friend on Facebook – if they are saying things they don’t want you to see? They can’t be on it at all.  Also, please – MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN ARE BEING TAUGHT GRAMMAR IN SCHOOL.

I can’t tell you how many papers I’ve graded where kids use emoticons, LOL, “u” – it’s infuriating! How are these kids going to get jobs if they’re essentially ‘txting’ the potential employer? While I’m on the subject of media and parenting – it drives me mad when I see parents blaming the media for the behaviour of their children. A television is not a parent. You are – raise your kids properly and they’ll be able to work hard, have love, be kind, and  sort out right and wrong for themselves.

March 12, 2010. Uncategorized.