Many many years ago, my father was in his forties and I was in my early teens and I was hit on the head by another student with a book, while riding a school bus. My father was very unhappy about someone hitting his youngest daughter, so the next day he went on the bus and told the young man that he should not be hitting girls under any circumstances and that he absolutely could not hit me again! Well needless to say, I never had any problems with this young man again. And this was my blessing, I was glad my dad intervened.
Now let's fast forward to the year 2010...Should parents approach the children who are bullying their children. There is such a fine line between intervention and harassment and intimidation, and I am not here to draw lines. Of course I think my dad intervened, he did not harass the young man! He told him gently not to hurt me again and no curse words were used.
My advice would be for parents to go through the appropriate channels and work with the school's administration today! Life has changed and it is a different world then when I was a teenager! Bullying has to be addressed, it cannot be swept under the rug! What if it was your child who was being bullyied? What if your child was the bully? Walk a mile in either of those parents shoes and all sets of those shoes are uncomfortable!
I would love to hear your opinions on whether parents should "bully the bully" or should they go through the appropriate channels for handling disputes? What if following the appropriate channels are not working? Share your wisdom!!!
All Comments Are Welcomed!"
