Jake’s picture
As a child I remember reciting the first part of this poem often to those who teased me. Inside it hurt my soul to be teased. Teasing and bullying in our society seems to have exploded via social media. Teens can be more villainous than I ever remember, by posting terrible quotes, pictures, and videos of those they hate. In the old days it would take a while before a rumor could circulate, now with all the technology available rumors can spread within seconds to a great number of people locally, nationally, and even globally. Everyone wants to get in on the action. Every argument, fight, or rude action is recorded and most are uploaded for the world to see. The next time you witness some type of conflict in public notice how many people pull their phones out and start recording. Not only do words hurt, so do photographs, videos, quotes, rumors, and rude comments.
The picture has a poem about bullying and how it hurts. My youngest son and his classmates each received one. They decorated the picture and talked about bullying. I have talked to my children about bullying, teasing, and kindness from a very young age. The best way to solve this issue is by loving your child and setting the example from birth. Like many things peace, love, and faith can change the world. Each one of us needs to contribute with our kind words, actions, and examples. We can choose to be sarcastic and rude, or we can choose to be gentle and kind. Today, make the better choice not just for you but for everyone.
