So recently the story of Amanda Todd has made it around the world. A young girl bullied until she killed herself. I have seen some saying "so what it happens everyday, what makes this girl so special" which is partly true, it is sad that this happens to so many and yet so few you hear about on the news or around the web. But sometimes there is just something about a case that brings media attention, maybe friends and family sought out the media to get the story heard and to draw attention to the issue at hand. I don't think it makes one "specialer" (not sure that's even a word) then the rest, but if it is drawing attention to the problem, does it matter what case makes worldwide news?
Everything that I see about this case or others like it that have made headlines, says "Stop bullying" and is making bullying the main issue. While yes bullying can be an issue, and was clearly the issue in this case and others like it, bullying has been going on forever. Not saying that makes it OK or right, but my point is, back in my school days, kids weren't offing them self because of bullies, we sucked it up and moved on. What has changed that has made kids so unable to deal with this? Has the degree of bullying gotten worse? or have the kids not been taught how to handle it?
Now, I understand back in my day, (I say that like I am so old, however I am not even 30 yet) there was not social media, there was not picture messaging on every cell phone etc. But when did we as parents miss that with changing times and changing technology we need to change what we teach our children. Not just what we teach our children, but how we monitor what our children are doing. My 10 year old has a facebook, however I have her password, and I log in to her page on a regular basis and see not only what she has been posting, but what her friends have been posting, what her messages say, and who she has been talking to. She is not allowed to add any friends, even family, without my say so. She knows the first time I see she has added someone that I did not approve that her page will be deleted. She also has her own cell phone, which I pick up and go through, I check her messages, I check her call log, and I find out who she is talking to and about what. Above and beyond all of these measures, I TALK TO HER! Everyday! I ask her what has been going on at school, I know about Madison, who has been cussing out the teacher and suspended from school three times now. I know about her crush, Blake. I spend time at her school and I know who these kids are. When she says "Ella said this" I know who Ella is. I am an involved parent. I understand that we as parents are busy, trust me I understand that, I work 2 jobs, in class full time and on top of taking care of my 3 kids by myself, I also help raise my 2 nephews and my niece (ages 13,10, and 5) I make time! When you decided to have kids, you decided that for the next 18 or so years your life wouldn't be your own. You made an unspoken promise to those children to be the best parent you can be. Yet so many "parents" can find time to go to the bar, but can't find time to find out how their child's day went. No wonder kids are offing them self because they have no one to turn to!
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