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Nine-year old apparently commits suicide at school

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Bad Guy Zero, Jan 22, 2010.

  1. BadgerBeer

    BadgerBeer Well-Known Member

    I agree with what you say. But when I was that age I did not know that there was such a thing as self esteem. And when I felt bad I sure as hell never went and got a gun. I don't believe that bullies are the problem(not that I am "pro bully"). I believe there are some distinct social changes that have occurred that account for the majority of these situations.
     
  2. Iron_chet

    Iron_chet Well-Known Member

    I hate to be the internet tough guy but if someone bullies my kids I will be going straight to the bullie's parents. If they can't control their kids I will do what I have to in terms of influence with the parents to compel them to have their children change their ways.
     
  3. YGBFKM

    YGBFKM Guest

    What if your child doesn't want that?
     
  4. Peytons place

    Peytons place Member

    Most people have been bullied at some point, I'd guess, but there are situations where the bullying is out of hand, so I don't like the "big deal" approach. My nephew moved from Georgia to upstate New York, and was bullied constantly. My heart broke for him, because I couldn't imagine getting up every day with the dread of the next 8 hours and the loneliness he felt, all at just 11 years old. My sister talked to the principal, but nothing was really ever done. It was the most miserable year for him, and heartbreaking for all of us who love him.

    He has since moved and changed schools, and it's not nearly as bad. He does get picked on sometimes, but he's nowhere in the state he was in at his previous school, and he can handle it. But it made me realize how bad it is for some kids, so the idea that "everyone's been bullied as a kid, so big deal," is naive.
     
  5. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Yeah, some kids naturally attract bullies.
     
  6. Lugnuts

    Lugnuts Well-Known Member

    One of my favorite, favorite stories I've ever done was on this guy Bill Kipp teaching kids something called "Fast Defense."

    Kipp is a former military guy and black belt-- whose kid was getting bullied on the school playground. So Bill was trying to come up with all these different solutions (tell the teacher, stand up to him, etc.) and nothing was working.

    So he comes up with this plan. He teaches his son to adopt a very specific strong body posture and use his voice of all things. He told his son to shout really loud at the bully, "STEP AWAY - YOU'RE TOO CLOSE!" over and over. What it did was scare the crap out of the bully without resorting to physical confrontation and also alert the teachers to what was going on and who was at fault. The bully never bothered him again.

    So Bill developed this whole seminar to train kids. First, they learn the strong body stance. Then they learn strong voice. Then they learn what to say, and it's very specific - the phrases he's come up with. If none of that works and the bully gets physical, Bill then teaches the kids some kid-friendly self-defense moves. Those were pretty amazing, too. One did involve kicking the attacker in the balls if it comes to that. But the seminar emphasizes the power of the strong body posture and the power of the human voice.

    Anyway, his seminars were working so well that he developed something for child abduction. It's a similar philosophy. Strong body stance... Shouting the phrase, "BACK AWAY - YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!" and "HELP!! POLICE !!"

    When I interviewed Bill 3 years ago, there had been 9 reported thwarted child abductions from kids who had taken his course.

    As I was doing the story and sitting through the seminar, I looked over at the parents watching, and several of the moms were in tears... they basically realized what an amazing thing this was.

    So, if anybody's interested, Google Bill Kipp Kids Fast Defense and you can see if he's doing a seminar near you. I'll be signing my kid up - probably around age 4 or 5.
     
  7. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    That's cool Luggie.

    One thing I tell my kids is that if someone is calling them names in class or doing something stupid, they should say in a loud voice.

    "Why are you calling people fags?" or "Why are you throwing pencils at people?"

    Don't know that they have ever done it.
     
  8. fishhack2009

    fishhack2009 Active Member

    That's the only way to deal with bullies. Ignoring it doesn't work.

    As for the kids who allegedly bullied this 9-year-old: It must be nice to be still in elementary school and already have your ticket to hell punched.
     
  9. fishhack2009

    fishhack2009 Active Member

    As an aside: Comments disabled on the DMN story.

    Even on a horrifying story like this, some people can't resist being douchebags.
     
  10. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    What book was there?
     
  11. RickStain

    RickStain Well-Known Member

    "Columbine" by Dave Cullen

    http://www.amazon.com/Columbine-Dave-Cullen/dp/0446546933/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264211268&sr=8-1-spell

    Showed how in the confusion after it happened, it was easy to cling to a few easy storylines (like they were getting revenge on being bullied) and those just stuck in people's minds even after they were later disproved.
     
  12. txsportsscribe

    txsportsscribe Active Member

    was managing editor of a weekly in the colony and visited this school numerous times. very, very sad.
     
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