Bully.

Dave and I watched Bully {<<affiliate link} last weekend on Netflix.   

If you haven’t watched this documentary, I really encourage you to do so.  It follows the story of families in which their child was being bullied, what happened, and how they coped.  Where possible, they also included school board or school administration’s involvement or lack thereof too.  If you are a parent and want to watch it with your child, please watch it yourself first.  It deals with mature subject matter and in my opinion, my first grader is too young for this.  Though, it very much did lead me to plan an age appropriate discussion with him.  I did see that they have an edited version available for younger viewers, but the full version is on Netflix.

Tell me why we’re teaching our children ‘new’ math, but we’re not teaching them empathy for their peers? 

It made me want to homeschool my children and box that abhorrent assistant principal’s ears in.  

I was infuriated, sad, and enlightened.  I think you will be too. 

Mostly though, I felt defeated on behalf of these parents.  How do you look at your child and realize that you have zero control over what happens to them when you’re not there?  How do you not absolutely lose your shit when your child commits suicide because that is a better alternative than dealing with repeated torment?  How do you not fall apart when you realize the extent of the torment the child you love has endured?  How do you impress upon the school administration that being repeatedly teased and tormented is not ‘kids being kids’ or your hypersensitivity?  Even more so, how do you impress upon them that THIS is just as horrendous as someone physically beating you up?  How can we make sure our kids aren’t the bullies or the victims?

There are thousands of kids, OUR KIDS, who deal every. single. day. with feeling unsafe, unloved, alone, afraid.  How is this ok? 

And what can we do to begin fixing it?

Have you seen the movie?

 

Updated to add:  If you would like more information on bullying, please visit the Long’s non-profit started in Tyler’s memory, Everything Starts With 1.