What really concerns me is the internet, cyber bullying, bullying at school, and the thought of how people have a certain "thought" about girls/women.
I don't want her growing up thinking that women can't do whatever they want for a living. I want her to grow up truly believing that she can be anything she wants when she grows up. I don't want her to believe there are certain profession that she cannot do just because she is a girl.
I don't want her to believe she can only play with "girl" toys. (When I was little me and my sister thought it was fun to throw our barbies at the fan) Although I was a destructive hellion along with my sister, it made both me and my sister the women we are today. We did play with barbies, played house, school and other role playing games but we played outside a lot. We were outside creating fake spicy drinks to fool the boys into drinking, throwing mud, defying our parents by going into the woods behind our old house, and other mischievous fun.
I want things to spark her imagination
I want her to wonder about how stuff is made and how things work.
I want her to feel as if whatever she wants she can accomplish it.
I know I want a lot for her, but can anyone blame me? I know all of this seems really early to think of but I don't want her to be a victim of her peers. I want her to learn how to fight back, and not to depend on others to fix the problems for her.
No matter what I want, she will end up doing things her way. We as parents cannot protect our children from everything it is impossible. They will go out make their own mistakes, make and lose their own friends, be made fun of, make fun of others, I think most of all they will try to do what they want when they want no matter what you say.
Well at least this describes me as a child.
Times are different though, the internet opens up a whole new playing field to kids. A place to bully, make fun of, and it isn't just other children. If an adult gets in on it (they should know better) it is a form of cyber harassment/stalking.
These are just a handful of people that have committed suicide due to cyber bullying, and being harassed from someone on an instant messenger, chat room, myspace, facebook, or webcam. It is very sad.
Ryan Halligan (December 18, 1989 – October 7, 2003)
Megan Meier (November 6, 1992 – October 17, 2006)
Jessica Logan (February 15, 1990 – July 3, 2008)
Hope Witsell (May 24, 1996 – September 12, 2009)
Tyler Clementi (December 19, 1991 – September 22, 2010)
Amanda Todd (November 27, 1996 – October 10, 2012)
I think this scares me more than anything.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people with approximately 4,400 deaths every year. The CDC estimates on cyber bullying stories 2012 that there are at least 100 suicide attempts for every suicide among young people. More than 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide and nearly 7 percent have attempted it.
No matter how you parent your child/children the actions of others can change their lives either in a good or bad way. My heart goes out to all of the parents who have lost a child due to cyber bullying, hopefully in the future there will be more laws against it.
If your child or someone you know is a victim of a form of cyber bullying or cyber harassment document and report it! Click HERE for more info.
No comments:
Post a Comment