It’s Still Our Choice
Aren’t we all trying not to raise little poops 💩? I mean I assume that’s the goal. We want our kids to grow up learning how to be respectful to others and to themselves. So why are we allowing cell phone and social media culture to become toxic for our kids? It is still our choice. Verizon didn’t make me get my child a phone. They surely aren’t paying the bill for me. No one forces us to allow our kids to bully people. There is a lot of ridiculousness going on.
About 20% of students ages 12-18 experienced bullying nationwide.
stopbullying.gov
Mean at All Ages
Little kids are supposed to be sweet, right? Wrong! The meanness starts early with some of these kids, and it does not get any better as they get older. We all know examples of parents who do everything right, and their kids turn out bad. Those people are not who I am talking about here. I’m talking about the children who are allowed to do whatever they want whenever they want. I’m not sure what the point of being a parent is if you aren’t going to be a parent. It makes no sense to me.
Bullies
Recently one of my girls was bullied by two girls in a group text. These girls have never lived in the same town as us, or gone to the same school as my daughter. They were upset with her for not maintaining their friendship by seeing them and talking to them more often. Keep in mind that they have never invited her to anything except for a birthday party which she attended last summer.
They cursed at her, made fun of people with mental health issues, and accused her of lying when she said that her parents would not let her get the apps they wanted her to get on her cell phone. Anyone who knows me knows that I do not let my child have social media. She was telling the truth. I’m not even happy with the apps I do let her have. It’s all too sketchy.
My favorite part of their messages was when one of the girls said “It’s because I’m black” and accused my husband and I of being racist. These girls have never even met me, and my husband and children are of mixed race.
Trying Not To Raise Little Poops
You know my blood was boiling, but I reminded myself of 2 things: these are kids whose minds won’t fully develop until much later in life and some people are just mean and will suck the life out of you. I thank God my daughter will never be friends with these two again, or even talk to them.
I’m sure the parents of these girls are also trying not to raise terrible people, but they are probably clueless as to how their kids actually are. They wouldn’t know if they don’t check their phones and read their messages. I’m learning more and more that kids are given phones as if they own them and pay the bill. Privacy? I’m not having that conversation in this post. Kids are kids. They are not adults. Full privacy should not be an option on a device they are not mature enough to handle. They should not be bullying other people’s children in group messages. They should not make other kids not want to participate in activities like sports and dance and clubs that should be an open, safe space for all.
If my kids are mean to others, it will be in spite of me doing everything I could to prevent that from happening. And mean on their cell phone? I’ll know about it, because I check it. It’s not that hard trying not to raise little poops 💩, is it?
Bullying prevention resources are great, but we need good parenting too.
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.
Desmond Tutu
