Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Jul 12, 2012 10:48:49 GMT -5
So, there is a space between those two reactions. "Okay" vs. long explaination about societal norms. Not really, because both end with me letting my kid do as he pleases. And I hardly think a few sentences constitutes a "long explanation" about societal norms. Going into the history of pink being a boy's color until WWII - THAT would be a long explanation of societal norms And anyway, how much discussion there would be depends heavily on the age and maturity of my kid, and WHERE he wants to wear the pink jacket or whatever. Why would anyone encourage a boy to wear pink? Or allow him to do so? This is just fodder for the fire! You all know it. Freedom of expression? Give me a break! A child is not born with the knowledge of knowing what's wrong or right. What looks stupid or dumb. That is your job as a parent.Hey, I'm really glad this is so moronically simple for you. Some of us would like to think it through a bit more, is that okay with you? That's the problem now days. So many think it's ok to express themselves by torturing others. Parents allow their kids to be put into a bullying situation which can lead to their harm, or worse, even death! Is it worth the consequences? Most parents have no gumption, or balls, anymore, it seems...Oh come the fuck on. Seriously? Letting your kid get a mohawk or wear pink is "torturing" others through self expression? Hyperbole much? AND to put a boy in girls clothing? PLUS it being pink? Well...that just screams wrong in so many ways! Okay, again... there is a HUGE difference between pink clothing and "girl" clothing... the fact that so many people can't understand this is part of the problem! And "putting a boy in girls' clothing" is VERY, VERY different from ALLOWING a boy to wear pink clothing because he WANTS to wear it. Second, of all please identify the moral value that is offended by wearing pink.Seriously. And it doesn't have anything to do with morals or values, etc, but if I think for a second that kids will laugh at my kid and he has no clue that it might happen, you better believe it I won't let him wear it.Which is why (depending on his age and where he wants to wear the pink clothes) I might warn him about the possibility of teasing. But stop him outright? No, I don't think I would do that. I'm not saying bullying couldn't be a serious problem earlier, but it usually happens to the kid who wets his pants in class, not the kid who wears a funky t-shirt once in a while.
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Jul 12, 2012 10:48:51 GMT -5
OK, I know they might make fun of me for wearing a pink shirt, but I don't care. I like it. And he comes home from school crying because someone called him the F word. What do you say/do then? Well after I stopped seeing red and wanting to punch whoever called my kid that, I'd sit him down and explain as best I could about societal norms. Then I'd explain that while it is NEVER acceptable to behave that way towards something you disagree with unfortunately not all people are taught that and even if they are, they don't listen. So you have to be prepared for the assholes in the world to call you out. Assholes always find something. It's up to you if you want to continue wearing your pink shirt or not now that you know how this kid is going to react. If you want to wear the shirt then you are going to have to learn to stand up to the bully and ignore what he says. If you DON'T want to continue wearing the shirt there is nothing wrong with that either. You have the right to feel comfortable in your own skin. Just be aware that the bully might not stop even if you stop wearing the pink shirt, he might find something else to tease you about, something you can't control (for my kid it'd probably be height). So no matter what you do you are going to have to learn to stand up for yourself. It's your decision how much you want to change to conform vs not. I'll support you and be here either way. Damn I need to write that down because I'll probabyl forget by the time we reach this stage with Gwen. ;D But this is in direct opposition to some of your other posts. Here you are saying it's her decision to change or not and in others you state something to the effect that you won't allow her to wear goth make up and you'd tell her she looked like trash if you didn't like the outfit she had on. To an extent you are contradicting yourself. I think in reality our individual opinions on raising our children aren't really that far off from each others.
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Jul 12, 2012 10:51:28 GMT -5
cranberry- Exactly what part of my statement is in your opinion "Total BS"?
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jul 12, 2012 10:54:47 GMT -5
I'd tell him to stop crying, cause that's gay.
OF COURSE I WOULDN'T!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'd remind him that he made a choice and he knew this was a possibility, but the actions I took would be the same as if the bullying came out of nowhere. I'm not sure what they are, because we haven't dealt with that yet.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 12, 2012 10:55:25 GMT -5
I don't think it is contradicting. I am not totally black/white on the subject. The line isn't neatly drawn in the sand.
I don't consider wearing a pink shirt to be something I need to put my foot down on.
Wearing his sister's pink sparkly tank-top, I am going to put my foot down on it.
Because to me there is a difference. There is really nothing wrong with a boy wearing pink, but a boy wearing pink GIRL's clothes is not exactly something that is accepted by our society.
I am going to put my foot down on the girl's clothes because I know what type of reaction that's going to get, especially as he gets older and I don't want my kid learning that the hard way just so I can feel good about letting him be himself.
You may think that is contradicting but I don't. It isn't my job to constantly monitor every single choice my kid, at some point she will make choices that get her ridiculed and she will have to learn to stand up for herself.
But it IS my job to make sure that they don't end up putting themselves into a situation where they've put a giant "beat the crap out of me please!" sticker on their back.
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cranberry49
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Post by cranberry49 on Jul 12, 2012 10:56:42 GMT -5
cranberry- Exactly what part of my statement is in your opinion "Total BS"? When you tell your child they can't dress or look the way they want you are telling them they aren't good enough for you. That may not be your intention but that's the message the kid is hearing. You tell Gwen she can't wear goth make up you are giving her the impression that you think she's a freak for even wanting to in the first place. That's the great thing about America- we were all free to raise our kids however we want. I am just choosing to treat my kid with respect and let him find out who he is. When my kid was 5 he wanted to wear a super hero cape everywhere he went. Did I let him, damn right I did. Did some kids try to tease him? Sure. Did he care? Not one bit.
When a little boy wants to wear pink and you tell him you can't you are punishing him. Not in the sense that you are sending him to his room without supper but in the sense that you are telling him he isn't good enough and he has to change in order for you to love himAll the bolded part! A child has to learn what NO means. This is all about teaching them. A parent cannot allow their child(ren) to do as they please all the time. It's not teaching them. It's allowing them to do as they see fit. To do otherwise could be seen as letting them think the world revolves around them and them alone. Such as 'it's my way, or no way.' When grown, these kids will have a hard lesson to learn in life. You are setting them up for some hard knocks IMO.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2012 10:57:03 GMT -5
I don't know if you are referring to my post or not, but when I was referring to clothing that provides easy access - I was not only referring to skirts. As you know, sweats can easily be pulled down and hoodies can easily be pulled up. Easy access does not always equate to "provocative". I do have a bit of expertise in this matter so I know what I'm talking about here. Everyone does (or should know) that rape, while classifed as a sex crime, is a crime of violence. Sex isn't the motivation. Control is the motivation. When a rapist is intent on finding a victim, he WILL find a victim. I was simply stating there are ways to make yourself unattractive as a victim. Now a person can be offended by that, if they want, but it's the truth and it's the reality. BUT...even if you do everything you can to protect yourself, IT IS STILL NOT YOUR FAULT IF YOU GET RAPED. Believe me, I believe that more than anything I believe in. As to the other subject, if a bully is looking for a victim, he/she WILL find a victim. There are things you can do to decrease your risk there, too. I think that's all the parents are saying here. They don't want to allow their child to run around with a "bully me" sticker on their foreheads. And everyone said there is no fault on the part of the victim regardless of how she/he dresses. At least I certainly did. I'm simply saying, in the vein of this thread, that if you wish to lower your chances of being bullied, raped, etc., there are things you can do to decrease that risk. Actually the hoodies are rarely pulled up, but mostly used to grab the girl from behind and restrain her.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2012 10:58:15 GMT -5
sometimes I think parents who let their kids push the envelope do it more to make themselves look more progressive than other parents than they do to allow their kids to express themselves.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 12, 2012 10:58:28 GMT -5
You tell Gwen she can't wear goth make up you are giving her the impression that you think she's a freak for even wanting to in the first place
Well I suppose I can wait until she interviews for a job and have their reaction inform her that she looks like a freaking idiot, but I'd kinda like her to learn the lesson before that.
My parents called me out when I looked like trash or an idiot. I've never doubted for a second that my parents love me for who I am.
But it's also their job to prepare me for the real world and the real world is not obligated to love me for who I am. Just because my parents accept me warts and all does not mean everyone else will.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2012 11:00:32 GMT -5
Thanks DQ. It was a horrible time, but we made it through it. Bullying is a sore subject for me, obviously. I know kids tease each other and say mean things to each other, but bullying is something different.
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Angel!
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Post by Angel! on Jul 12, 2012 11:00:56 GMT -5
I can't get past the statement that a woman wearing short skirt encourages someone to rape her. If a man is intent on raping a woman it won't matter WHAT outfit she has on. Of course. And if someone is intent on stealing my car they will, but that doesn't mean I leave it unlocked with the windows down & keys in the ignition. It isn't the victims fault either way, but there are things you can that will increase or decrease your odds of being a victim, whether it be a victim of rape, theft, or bullying. Walking alone in a bad neighborhood with a short skirt increases your odds of rape - we can argue how much (if any) the skirt has to do with changing your odds, but the point still remains that it is a bad idea even though you didn't ask to be raped. Leaving keys in the ingnition is a bad idea. Depending on the kid & situation - wearing pink to school could be a bad idea. Some boys could pull it off & have the personality where they would be cool & maybe start a trend. For other kids that might not fit in so well already, well this could be the tipping point where they suddenly get picked on & bullied. Sure it is ultimately wrong of the bullies, but that won't change the fact that my kid came home from school crying. Even if you get the bullying to stop with help from the school, your kid won't suddenly fit in. He won't get tormented, but he also might be sitting alone at lunch, last to get picked for sports, etc. Why increase the odds that you kid might have to go through this by letting him "be himself", whatever that means when you are only 6. We could argue "being himself" also means that he no longer showers, but most parents would agree that is a bad idea & will have a poor social outcome.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2012 11:01:39 GMT -5
cranberry- Exactly what part of my statement is in your opinion "Total BS"? When you tell your child they can't dress or look the way they want you are telling them they aren't good enough for you. That may not be your intention but that's the message the kid is hearing. You tell Gwen she can't wear goth make up you are giving her the impression that you think she's a freak for even wanting to in the first place. That's the great thing about America- we were all free to raise our kids however we want. I am just choosing to treat my kid with respect and let him find out who he is. When my kid was 5 he wanted to wear a super hero cape everywhere he went. Did I let him, damn right I did. Did some kids try to tease him? Sure. Did he care? Not one bit.
When a little boy wants to wear pink and you tell him you can't you are punishing him. Not in the sense that you are sending him to his room without supper but in the sense that you are telling him he isn't good enough and he has to change in order for you to love himAll the bolded part! A child has to learn what NO means. This is all about teaching them. A parent cannot allow their child(ren) to do as they please all the time. It's not teaching them. It's allowing them to do as they see fit. To do otherwise could be seen as letting them think the world revolves around them and them alone. Such as 'it's my way, or no way.' When grown, these kids will have a hard lesson to learn in life. You are setting them up for some hard knocks IMO. and what is wrong with having standards for your kids?
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jul 12, 2012 11:01:57 GMT -5
The difference between explaining social norms to a 6 year old, and keeping a 16 year old girl from looking like a freak is a pretty big divide, in my opinion.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Jul 12, 2012 11:02:10 GMT -5
The OP said that the kid who was getting bullied because he likes to wear girls clothing has parents who do not let him wear pink clothes to school.
The parent who lets their boy wear pink clothing to school is Milee who said her kid got teased a little, but has lots of friends and is happy.
Actually, what the OP said about that kid was that he was getting bullied, apparently partially because of his wearing pink to school, which his parents supported (I think there was more to it than his clothing choices). And the kid the OP mentioned also has a lot of friends and is generally a happy kid.
But I think that responsibility can't be given too young. For me, DS is super-sensitive & I would much rather be the bad guy & make a "no pink at school rule" than see him hurt because other kids picked on him.
I think that makes total sense - I said back on page 2 or 3 that whether I let the kid wear pink or not would also depend on his specific personality and whether I felt he could handle potential teasing.
BTW - a kid wearing pink doesn't cause bullying any more than a woman wearing a skirt causes rape. Bullying is a result of nasty, rude kids whose parents haven't done a good job of teaching them morals and values. Maybe we should be putting a little more focus on those little monsters than we should berating the kid and parents of the kid who is a good, kind, enjoyable human being who happens to have strange taste. I'm doing my job. Now if the other parents would just do theirs...
Karma for this, milee. Well said.
If my kid turns out to be a bully, we're going to have VERY DIFFERENT problems.
I can't get past the statement that a woman wearing short skirt encourages someone to rape her. If a man is intent on raping a woman it won't matter WHAT outfit she has on.
Thank you, beerwench. I don't have the emotional energy to get into the victim blaming discussion today (just had one yesterday on Facebook) but I'm grateful someone else bothered to make this fairly obvious point. The idea that women "bring it on themselves" by their clothing choices (or anything else they do) is one of the most disgusting and pervasive examples of our victim blaming mentality. It's a huge part of the reason so many rapists walk free - people are so focused on what the VICTIM did wrong that they completely gloss over the fact that rape doesn't happen except when RAPISTS decide to rape.
And that's all I'm saying on the subject because it was not the point of the original thread and as I said, I don't want to get into it today.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2012 11:02:12 GMT -5
All this talk about "adults doing their jobs" - sounds wonderful, except THEY DON'T!! And I don't know about "most" schools, but I must be dreaming when I read all those school cases about kids being bullied and how serious this problem has become and how many suicides it caused, etc etc etc. Sometimes I wonder if I am living on a different planet than some of you. Lena Unfortunately, I know exactly what you mean about bullying and the possibility of deadly consequences. Unfortunately, I also know that you can't count on adults (teachers, administrators or other parents) to put a stop to it. My 12 year old son was bullied, jumped in the school bathroom by 3 boys at once, and generally tortured until he thought the only way to stop it was to kill himself. Guess what...... when I started raising hell with the school and the school board, one of teachers admitted that she knew he was being tortured. "Tortured" was her exact word. WTF?! After he was beat up, another teacher sent him back to class even though he was hurt and crying. The school didn't deal with it until I found out that afternoon when I picked him up from school and I marched my narrow ass in there demanding answers. My son's crime was that he was very small for his age and not a *roughneck* like many of his classmates, so he was easy pickings. It took therapy, me fighting with his school and a series of growth spurts for the bullying to stop and for my son to feel better about himself. Having lived through that, and knowing it didn't happen because of any choice he made, I still wouldn't let my young kid make decisions that would make him or her a target for bullying. I'd let my teenage boy wear pink shirts if he wanted to (I don't think pink on men necessarily looks feminine), but I wouldn't let my young boy wear his sister's hand-me-down pink clothing. And this is what I mean by adults doing their jobs, both parents and teachers. Bullying is not acceptable, instead of trying to change the victim, how about we start punishing the bullies? I know it can work but it work at my school and many of my friends' schools as well.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 12, 2012 11:03:18 GMT -5
I know kids tease each other and say mean things to each other, but bullying is something different.
I totally agree. I was bullied in middle school because of my height and it was horrible. I never experienced physical violence but I dreaded going to school each day. Thank god it only lasts two years.
Gwen's going to be about as tall as I am so I worry about her experincing what I did sometimes.
I don't understand people who go out of their way to behave/dress/act in a way that makes them a target and then get pissed at the consequences.
I couldn't do anything about being a target, there isn't a way to make me grow taller, so I don't get putting a giant sticker on yourself just to prove a point.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Jul 12, 2012 11:03:52 GMT -5
He's 5, it's cute then. It's not so cute when your kid is 16.
I'm all for live and let live, but if my kid is going to wear something that will make people stare, I'm going to give them a warning.
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taz157
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Post by taz157 on Jul 12, 2012 11:04:34 GMT -5
pink - I'm sorry to read what your son went through. Like drama, I did get picked on for being short, but nothing to that extent.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2012 11:05:27 GMT -5
The difference between explaining social norms to a 6 year old, and keeping a 16 year old girl from looking like a freak is a pretty big divide, in my opinion. I went "goth" in high school. My mom allowed it, as long as I was not out with her. I did not have any problems at school with it, I did not wear it at work and I find the comments of "looking like a freak" offensive.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 12, 2012 11:06:18 GMT -5
When my kid was 5 he wanted to wear a super hero cape everywhere he went. Did I let him, damn right I did. Did some kids try to tease him? Sure. Did he care? Not one bit.
He's 5, it's cute then. It's not so cute when your kid is 16.
I hear you saying "No! No cape!" in Edna's voice from The Incredibles.
Love that movie.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Jul 12, 2012 11:06:31 GMT -5
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Angel!
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Post by Angel! on Jul 12, 2012 11:06:48 GMT -5
You tell Gwen she can't wear goth make up you are giving her the impression that you think she's a freak for even wanting to in the first placeWell I suppose I can wait until she interviews for a job and have their reaction inform her that she looks like a freaking idiot, but I'd kinda like her to learn the lesson before that. My parents called me out when I looked like trash or an idiot. I've never doubted for a second that my parents love me for who I am. But it's also their job to prepare me for the real world and the real world is not obligated to love me for who I am. Just because my parents accept me warts and all does not mean everyone else will. Telling your kid they can't wear goth makeup (or pink) doesn't send the message that they are a freak or unloved. It sends the message that I am the parent and make the rules. My mom made me change more than once when I was young. It didn't make me feel like a freak, it made me realize my mom is really uncool & doesn't appreciate style. But, she was still the mom & in charge. I tell my son he can't wear X or do X all the time. That is being a parent. I can still make him feel loved while making the rules.
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taz157
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Post by taz157 on Jul 12, 2012 11:07:33 GMT -5
You tell Gwen she can't wear goth make up you are giving her the impression that you think she's a freak for even wanting to in the first placeWell I suppose I can wait until she interviews for a job and have their reaction inform her that she looks like a freaking idiot, but I'd kinda like her to learn the lesson before that. My parents called me out when I looked like trash or an idiot. I've never doubted for a second that my parents love me for who I am. But it's also their job to prepare me for the real world and the real world is not obligated to love me for who I am. Just because my parents accept me warts and all does not mean everyone else will. Telling your kid they can't wear goth makeup (or pink) doesn't send the message that they are a freak or unloved. It sends the message that I am the parent and make the rules. My mom made me change more than once when I was young. It didn't make me feel like a freak, it made me realize my mom is really uncool & doesn't appreciate style. But, she was still the mom & in charge. I tell my son he can't wear X or do X all the time. That is being a parent. I can still make him feel loved while making the rules. x 1,000
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Jul 12, 2012 11:07:37 GMT -5
All the bolded part! A child has to learn what NO means. This is all about teaching them. A parent cannot allow their child(ren) to do as they please all the time. It's not teaching them. It's allowing them to do as they see fit. To do otherwise could be seen as letting them think the world revolves around them and them alone. Such as 'it's my way, or no way.'
Ok I'm going to call BS on this. You teach them for things that important. About not running into traffic, about saying no to drugs. You teach them to make smart decisions - how to dress respectfully for your surroundings. But my son is not going to learn what no means just because we let him wear what clothes he wants (he's currently 2). Yes there are rules and boundaries - going out of the house properly covered, but clothing is not a situation where you are getting a whole lot of milage out of using it as a teaching lesson.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Jul 12, 2012 11:08:08 GMT -5
Right now I am a little worried about my kid get bullied, and a little worried about him being a bully.
But most of all, my daughter is the side-kick of the future "mean girl." We talk a lot about how to treat people - but she is star struck by this girl and when she said "You aren't allowed to hang around with Chloe anymore." My daughter stopped hanging out with Chloe. (Too bad - because Chloe is going to rock the universe later in life - supermodel/award winning physicist in the making!) I was able to convince the teacher to place my daughter in a different class from the mean girl - so I'm hoping that will break the girl-crush. But how do I convince my daughter to chose the nice friends?
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 12, 2012 11:08:21 GMT -5
I did not wear it at work and I find the comments of "looking like a freak" offensive
I'm sorry you feel that way. I happen to judge people who walk around in white face paint and aren't professional mimes. I am not allowing my kid to paint her face like that.
I am sure there are things you won't let your own kid do that someone else is going to get angry at because "well I did it when I was a kid!" or they let their kid do it.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Jul 12, 2012 11:08:24 GMT -5
Please don't ever tell your child they look like trash. There is only one thing that they will hear from that statement and it breaks my heart.
From the original post, I don't think the parents transferred the child because of the teasing from other kids. They moved schools because of the teachers reaction to the teasing. Teachers saying loud and clear "you deserve what you get for making that choice" and saying nothing to the kids teasing for inappropriate behavior. I would move my child too.
As others have said, the kids with spirit to be who they are whether that meshes with society or not, don't get picked on as much. The kids who have poor self esteem are the targets for bullies. Being taught that expressing yourself is bad is generally a good way to develop poor self esteem.
I've posted many times that dh is transgendered. I assure you that his parents did everything they could to make him into a pretty, respectable, straight girl. He was required to wear dresses, have long hair, pierced ears, no boyfriends until highschool, etc. It didn't work. He rebelled against his parents in everyway possible and is still not able to let go of the resentment for a childhood that taught him that he was not worth be loved if he acted like himself.
I have no idea if our kids will resent us, how many mistakes we'll make. If we'll be too lenient, too strict, or play favorites. But I do know that I do not look at them as mini-me's put on this earth for me to shape and mold into what I think they should be. I look at them as their own individual people who chose me to guide them to adulthood. I will guide them as much as I can, but at the end of the day I feel that I learn 10x more from them than they will ever learn from me.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Jul 12, 2012 11:12:18 GMT -5
When you tell your child they can't dress or look the way they want you are telling them they aren't good enough for you. That may not be your intention but that's the message the kid is hearing. You tell Gwen she can't wear goth make up you are giving her the impression that you think she's a freak for even wanting to in the first place. That's the great thing about America- we were all free to raise our kids however we want. I am just choosing to treat my kid with respect and let him find out who he is. When my kid was 5 he wanted to wear a super hero cape everywhere he went. Did I let him, damn right I did. Did some kids try to tease him? Sure. Did he care? Not one bit.
When a little boy wants to wear pink and you tell him you can't you are punishing him. Not in the sense that you are sending him to his room without supper but in the sense that you are telling him he isn't good enough and he has to change in order for you to love himAll the bolded part! A child has to learn what NO means. This is all about teaching them. A parent cannot allow their child(ren) to do as they please all the time. It's not teaching them. It's allowing them to do as they see fit. To do otherwise could be seen as letting them think the world revolves around them and them alone. Such as 'it's my way, or no way.' When grown, these kids will have a hard lesson to learn in life. You are setting them up for some hard knocks IMO. and what is wrong with having standards for your kids? I think it is very long way to go from you have no control over your kid to letting your kid where what he or she wants. A very very long way. We are pretty strict with DS. We expect a certain behavior from him in certain situations. That goes a lot farther towards molding a future adult than any possible item of clothing he wears.
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Angel!
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Politics Admin
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Post by Angel! on Jul 12, 2012 11:14:57 GMT -5
I went "goth" in high school. My mom allowed it, as long as I was not out with her. I did not have any problems at school with it, I did not wear it at work and I find the comments of "looking like a freak" offensive. You dressed outside of the societal norms, although within the norm of a certain group. Much like a boy wearing pink, you are going to get judged. While I'm sure DQ would never say anything to your face, you have to expect that she (and others) would look at you & think "WTF" & wonder why you choose to dress that way.
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saveinla
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Post by saveinla on Jul 12, 2012 11:14:59 GMT -5
I think the fact that I let my kid wear pink to school makes a very clear statement about how much I value public opinion. Most really successful people I know are aware of what the societal rules are but do not always choose to follow them. BTW - a kid wearing pink doesn't cause bullying any more than a woman wearing a skirt causes rape. Bullying is a result of nasty, rude kids whose parents haven't done a good job of teaching them morals and values. Maybe we should be putting a little more focus on those little monsters than we should berating the kid and parents of the kid who is a good, kind, enjoyable human being who happens to have strange taste. I'm doing my job. Now if the other parents would just do theirs...
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