I was bullied...
Today I am pouring my heart out with Shell and her link up... Pour Your Heart Out.
I was bullied as a kid. Now let me elaborate on that fact. "I was bullied" is an all-encompassing statement. I was called names like: Casper the UGLY Ghost. In fact, there is a tanning salon close by me that makes a reference to "ghosts" which I find thoroughly offensive. I had mean girls touch my hair and sing, "My Dog has fleas!" I had my backpack/purse moved from my seat to across the room. I had mud thrown at me, I was spit at, I was called "pizza face" due to my acne.
I was bullied as a kid. Now let me elaborate on that fact. "I was bullied" is an all-encompassing statement. I was called names like: Casper the UGLY Ghost. In fact, there is a tanning salon close by me that makes a reference to "ghosts" which I find thoroughly offensive. I had mean girls touch my hair and sing, "My Dog has fleas!" I had my backpack/purse moved from my seat to across the room. I had mud thrown at me, I was spit at, I was called "pizza face" due to my acne.
This is me at 17....
Now, by age 17 most if not all of the teasing and bullying had finally ceased. I was six feet tall. I think kids were afraid I would beat the snot out of them. However, the damage was done. Words leave horrible deep scars for years. That girl smiling so nice in that picture felt ugly and fat. Yep.
In light of the most recent shooting at Sparks, Nevada I am left once again to ponder what in the world is happening? Now I never once feared for my life. I also never once fantasized about their doom and destruction. Rather I dreamed of me becoming something great, and flicking them away like pesky bugs. Are these children being threatened? Have they reached the breaking point?
My own daughter faced bullying for over a year from girls who were supposed to be her friends. There were no threats, it was mistreatment. The damage was done. It took a year but she finally overcame. It truly saddens me especially since I know that being bullied is not out of the ordinary.
A little humor and truth to lighten the mood
The Revenge of The Nerds speaks volumes in these last minutes of its movie. We have all been there.
The most admirable thing in the Sparks shooting was the teacher, former Marine, Michael Landsberry. In effort to recognize the fallen teachers who sacrificed their own lives for the sake of their students a petition has been put forth. Thanks to a status update from a teacher, stating " The family of every teacher that dies protecting their students in a school shooting should receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom." Follow the link here.
Were you bullied? Are your kids being bullied? How can we reach out?
Comments
I was bullied in middle school. For most of my eighth grade year, there was a group of girls who shoved me in the hallway, called me names, spread rumors about me. It was awful.
None of my boys have really been bullied yet- teased some and maybe not treated the best at times, but it hasn't reached the level of bullying yet.
I wish there was an easy answer.