Was I a bully??
I've done quite a bit of shaming recently. It started with me shaming myself for the mom shaming movement over at The Divine Secrets of A Domestic Diva.
And now I'm over at Mommy Shorts shaming my husband! I won't put the picture here, because it is worth your trip over there to see all of the hysterical photos of husbands holding signs. You will know my husband's photo when you see a man sleeping and holding a sign. I cracked up laughing as a I tried to jam that into his hands that night. So, go HERE to check that out.
Along with the husband shaming, there is bully shaming going on over at Toulouse and Tonic. This is really powerful to me, especially after I watched the video of Amanda Todd below. She ended her own life over bullying and I know she's not the first one. It is so terrible. If you haven't watched this video yet, you must. It can help us help children who are being bullied, hopefully, and help us help the bullies themselves.
Have I been guilty of bullying in the past? Besides the times I made my little sister hold her arms above her head while she was trying to go to sleep, I don't think I was ever really a bully. (I know. That was bad. I would say "If you don't have your arms above your head when I come back to check on you, I will keep bothering you.")
I may not have been a bully, but I know I snickered about kids to my friends. I would say, "Look at that girl's hair!" I had a friend who was very particular where everything in her room was situated. When she would leave it, I sometimes would move things around slightly. That's sort of bullying, right? There was once a guy whose last name rhymed with a famous Oscar Meyer product. When he was nearby, I would sing that song to my friend. He overheard once and knew exactly what I was doing. It hurt his feelings.
I feel terrible to this day.
Actually, I think those things might make me a bully. Or, at least a Bully, Jr.
Or does it?
Maybe if I had done it EVERY time he or she was around or MADE SURE they heard me, I would have been a bully. Maybe if I had GONE OUT OF MY WAY to see them and point to them and sing the song and make the comments or move the stuff, that would have made me a bully. I never wanted to intentionally hurt anyone.
But, I know I did.
Please tell me I wasn't a bully.
It's not like I wasn't hurt sometimes by kids, as well. (I know you can't even the score.) I remember one time in middle school, I overheard a guy say, "Kelley is ugly." That killed me. Killed me. I think about it now. I know he didn't care if I heard since he was right in front of me. I only heard him say it once. He didn't follow me around and say that, so, technically, that's not bullying, right? He was just being a fartknocker?
(In all fairness, he was right. Goodness gracious alive, I needed another hair style.)
Either way, outright bullies (and amateur ones) should be stopped and discouraged at all costs. Check out Toulouse and Tonic's Bully Shaming post and check out her Bully Shaming page on Facebook, where you can upload a picture of a bully shaming sign. Let's keep the message circulating that sticks and stones do break bones but words WILL hurt you, too.
And now I'm over at Mommy Shorts shaming my husband! I won't put the picture here, because it is worth your trip over there to see all of the hysterical photos of husbands holding signs. You will know my husband's photo when you see a man sleeping and holding a sign. I cracked up laughing as a I tried to jam that into his hands that night. So, go HERE to check that out.
Along with the husband shaming, there is bully shaming going on over at Toulouse and Tonic. This is really powerful to me, especially after I watched the video of Amanda Todd below. She ended her own life over bullying and I know she's not the first one. It is so terrible. If you haven't watched this video yet, you must. It can help us help children who are being bullied, hopefully, and help us help the bullies themselves.
Have I been guilty of bullying in the past? Besides the times I made my little sister hold her arms above her head while she was trying to go to sleep, I don't think I was ever really a bully. (I know. That was bad. I would say "If you don't have your arms above your head when I come back to check on you, I will keep bothering you.")
I may not have been a bully, but I know I snickered about kids to my friends. I would say, "Look at that girl's hair!" I had a friend who was very particular where everything in her room was situated. When she would leave it, I sometimes would move things around slightly. That's sort of bullying, right? There was once a guy whose last name rhymed with a famous Oscar Meyer product. When he was nearby, I would sing that song to my friend. He overheard once and knew exactly what I was doing. It hurt his feelings.
I feel terrible to this day.
Actually, I think those things might make me a bully. Or, at least a Bully, Jr.
 |
| Straight up bullies from A Christmas Story. Source |
Or does it?
Maybe if I had done it EVERY time he or she was around or MADE SURE they heard me, I would have been a bully. Maybe if I had GONE OUT OF MY WAY to see them and point to them and sing the song and make the comments or move the stuff, that would have made me a bully. I never wanted to intentionally hurt anyone.
But, I know I did.
Please tell me I wasn't a bully.
It's not like I wasn't hurt sometimes by kids, as well. (I know you can't even the score.) I remember one time in middle school, I overheard a guy say, "Kelley is ugly." That killed me. Killed me. I think about it now. I know he didn't care if I heard since he was right in front of me. I only heard him say it once. He didn't follow me around and say that, so, technically, that's not bullying, right? He was just being a fartknocker?
(In all fairness, he was right. Goodness gracious alive, I needed another hair style.)
Either way, outright bullies (and amateur ones) should be stopped and discouraged at all costs. Check out Toulouse and Tonic's Bully Shaming post and check out her Bully Shaming page on Facebook, where you can upload a picture of a bully shaming sign. Let's keep the message circulating that sticks and stones do break bones but words WILL hurt you, too.
Go here for Bully Shaming over at Toulouse and Tonic.
Go here for Husband Shaming over at Mommy Shorts.