Bullying

So you can't really understand the true pain bullying causes until it happens to your baby. Over the last several months Chloe has been the target of bullying so severe and so often that she comes home in tears most days. She has been called racial slurs so horrible that I won't even repeat them on here. She has been told she was ugly, has chipmunk teeth, and had repeated barrages of cuss words thrown at her. She has had sexually inappropriate comments made toward her that would get any person working in a professional environment fired. Did I mention she's 10 years old. T.E.N. As a parent I want to personally go to each and every one of these little shits who have nothing better than to cause misery and pain for my little girl and to make them cry and to make them hurt.  As an adult who has to deal with outlandish behavior from co-workers, acquaintances, and even complete strangers I want her to learn the important life skill of how to deal with difficult people. Sadly, these kids who feel the need to terrorize her get the message loud and clear that this kind of behavior is ok. It is put in place, most likely, by parents or other family members who either hold strong prejudices themselves or frequently verbally abuse someone in front of them. It is reinforced by teachers and other authority figures who don't do more to stop it and ensure it doesn't continue. If bullying is to be stopped there has to be strong consequences for the bully that are enforced consistently. We have sent email after email to teachers and staff at Chloe's school voicing our concern and nothing is done. We have talked to Chloe about appropriate ways to try handling the situation herself. Right now my heart is breaking for Chloe and any other child who has had to go through this kind of treatment. It's not right and it has robbed my little girl of some of her sweet ten year old innocence. Sadly she is learning the lesson that not everyone is nice and not everyone gets the treatment they deserve - whether it be punishment or respite from abuse. She is learning that life is unfair. She is learning that treating others as you would like to be treated doesn't actually work in the real world. But through the disappointment and the pain I hope she is also learning how much she is loved and how deserving she is of better treatment. I hope she is learning how to love others and not hate or abuse them. I can only hope and pray that when this is all over and resolved in whatever way it will be that she emerges the beautiful, smart, and kind young woman that I know in my heart she is.