RE: Some bullying to enrage hearts
May 14, 2015 at 7:51 pm
(This post was last modified: May 14, 2015 at 7:55 pm by Whateverist.)
Definitely. Schools are much more accountable now for failing to address bullying. And now it can be even harder to track as it follows kids home online. At my middle school we do an enormous amount of pro-social groundwork which has worked better than I would have ever believed possible. Not to say all is good now.
In my own middle school experience I encountered bullies too and sometimes it felt like the old west. We moved from San Diego to just outside of Washington DC between my grades 7 and 8. I had to ride a bus five miles to school for the first time and after the first day of school, while waiting for my bus to finish loading I saw someone stick someone else with a knife.
I instinctively knew to display a little bluster and that stood me in good stead for a couple months. But then this huge man child threw an icy snow ball and got me in my ear one morning at the bus stop. I had to call him out or become an ongoing target. So after school we fought surrounded by everyone. He was slow but strong as well as experienced. I had never thrown a punch. Turns out that is not instinctive knowledge.
At one point a dentist drove by and chided everyone for putting their parents out so much money to him for the work he does on kids teeth after fights. I was never more grateful in my life. I found out I was quick but weak with no coordination for throwing a punch, in spite of having played handball in San Diego for hours every day.
That sent me down to the basement every afternoon after school. Where I would circle the string that hung down from a light with a little metal thingy at its end and punch that thing repeatedly. I became more coordinated at punching but probably not much stronger.
Anyhow it wasn't long before someone down the food chain decided he wanted to establish himself over me. So during a pick up football game he went after me. But this time I had more reach than he did and I landed all my punches while blocking all his. After a short while he turned around, ran off and I never had to fight in Maryland again. I did not like hitting another person in the face, but I did like feeling less vulnerable. I think the big lunkhead who kicked my ass originally actually was friendly to me at the end.
So yeah, fighting back can help but I think I would have much preferred never having to.
In my own middle school experience I encountered bullies too and sometimes it felt like the old west. We moved from San Diego to just outside of Washington DC between my grades 7 and 8. I had to ride a bus five miles to school for the first time and after the first day of school, while waiting for my bus to finish loading I saw someone stick someone else with a knife.
I instinctively knew to display a little bluster and that stood me in good stead for a couple months. But then this huge man child threw an icy snow ball and got me in my ear one morning at the bus stop. I had to call him out or become an ongoing target. So after school we fought surrounded by everyone. He was slow but strong as well as experienced. I had never thrown a punch. Turns out that is not instinctive knowledge.
At one point a dentist drove by and chided everyone for putting their parents out so much money to him for the work he does on kids teeth after fights. I was never more grateful in my life. I found out I was quick but weak with no coordination for throwing a punch, in spite of having played handball in San Diego for hours every day.
That sent me down to the basement every afternoon after school. Where I would circle the string that hung down from a light with a little metal thingy at its end and punch that thing repeatedly. I became more coordinated at punching but probably not much stronger.
Anyhow it wasn't long before someone down the food chain decided he wanted to establish himself over me. So during a pick up football game he went after me. But this time I had more reach than he did and I landed all my punches while blocking all his. After a short while he turned around, ran off and I never had to fight in Maryland again. I did not like hitting another person in the face, but I did like feeling less vulnerable. I think the big lunkhead who kicked my ass originally actually was friendly to me at the end.
So yeah, fighting back can help but I think I would have much preferred never having to.
