Suicide is such a devastating way to go. Recently two 8th grade girls (who were also best friends), Haylee Fentress and Paige Moravetz, made a suicide pact. The reason? They were being ostracized and bullied by others. Both girls left behind a note for their families.
Bullying continues to be a huge problem today. Although bullying has always existed, it seems to have reached new levels…in some part, no thanks to technology.
There are some who believe that bullying is just a part of childhood and that those who are victims need to somehow suck it up and deal with it. But the reality is that bullying can lead to other consequences, besides the increased risk of committing suicide.
A recent study out of Massachusetts shows that victims of bullying are more likely to develop alcoholism, abuse drugs and suffer from depression.
Who are the children most at risk? Those who are in middle school. Middle school can be brutal. Recently my oldest son shared with me an experience he had in middle school that he never told me about. He was pretty much humiliated and it really broke my heart to hear this had happened to him.
It was an indication to me that I can’t always trust my children will tell me when they have been the victim of bullying. Sometimes we really don’t know. But we must talk about this.
It is a conversation that needs to be continuous and an issue we can’t only think about when a tragedy such as this suicide pact takes place. I will be more vigilant in my conversations with my children and emphasize to them the importance of sharing any bullying that is going on. I will also emphasize how important it is that they never partake in such a cruel act.
Schools also need to be doing more. Teachers and administrators need to take this more seriously. After all, our children’s very lives could be at stake.
Related Articles:
Talk to Your Teens about Bullying
http://parenting.families.com/blog/talk-to-your-teens-about-bullying
Parents and Teachers Need to Work Together to Stop Bullying