Little Monsters

Why are kids so mean? Yesterday I read an article about a man that boarded a school bus and went off on some mean kids that had been harassing his disabled daughter while riding the bus. It makes me sad to think of that girl enduring any type of harassment and not be able to defend herself against these bullies. What kind of heartless kids are riding that bus? Where there no kids on the bus with compassion –to stand up on her behalf? I know that nobody wants to be picked on, but there is usually one or two willing to help out. Where were those kids and why didn’t they step up? And why didn’t the bus driver do something about it?

The fact is, bullies are all around us. Take a good hard look at your kid and honestly ask yourself –is my child capable of that? You might be surprised and embarrassed at the answer. Don’t kid yourself. Most of our kids are totally capable of bullying another child and probably have on occasion. For the parents who think that their kid “would never do that”, stop being so naïve. Your kid isn’t perfect and neither is mine. But the difference is that I know my child is capable (we are all capable) and because of that, I’m watching for the signs and can make sure it doesn’t happen. Meanwhile, you have your head in the sand while your child is bullying my child.

Stories like this make me sad and I feel bad for the father that was blasted for what he did on the bus. Yes, he may have used profanity and inappropriate language, and it definitely wasn’t the best way to handle the situation. I understand why he is making a public apology for his actions –but where the hell are the public apologies by the bullies, their parents, and the bus driver? They should all be held accountable for their actions (and for the parents, inactions).

But this particular story hits too close to home for me. Just yesterday afternoon, my daughter gets home from school and tells me that some of her friends have decided that they don’t want to be her friend anymore. Yep, just like that. Out of a group of 5 girls, two said that my daughter was too needy (wth? Aren’t they all needy at 12?) and another said it was because a third party friend (who doesn’t even go to the same school) told her not to be friends anymore. Sheesh. Soap opera-style drama for tweens.

I say good riddance to these three “friends”, but my daughter still feels ousted and that’s a sting that really hurts at this age. I want to hold her and tell her it will be okay, but that won’t make her hurt stop. I also want to march right down to the school and give these little twits a viral tongue lashing like they have never heard. No, it won’t change the situation, but it will make me feel better. I want to pull her out of that horrid school and send her somewhere safe where nothing like that will ever happen again.

I can’t control who my daughter befriends and I know that she will have to deal with whatever happens. I know I can’t protect her from all the snotty little girls in the world and that she will have to face these and more in her school years. But I can secretly wish for them to have really bad acne!