WERE YOU BULLIED AS A KID? I WAS

WAS IT ACTUALLY CALLED “BULLIED”

When I was in elementary school, I was picked on a lot. I was very shy and quiet and I guess that’s why.  I remember, they made fun of my last name. I guess because that’s all they could think of to say.  I remember sitting at my desk, in about 5th grade, I think, and I’d just sit there, looking down.  And this one girl started it a lot of the time.  She’d say my last name wrong and everyone would laugh. I had no idea why they were doing that to me. I don’t remember ever telling anyone, not my mother, the teacher, noone. I don’t know why I didn’t tell. I think I was embarrassed for some reason.  And I blamed myself.  I had very low self esteem because of it.

I remember it hurt so bad to be bullied.  I don’t remember having any friends til middle school. If the teacher would call on me, I just wanted to melt into the floor. I just wanted to be invisible. I don’t really know why I felt that way.  I guess I was an easy target.

I don’t think anyone called it bullying back then. I think it was just considered part of growing up. I remember it hurt so much, though.

I wish I could get kids to understand how much it can hurt to be picked on and made fun of.  Everyone just wants to fit in.

When you’re in school, it feels like things are going to last forever.  You don’t realize how things are going to get so much better when you graduate.  When you become adults and have a job, things don’t mean the same.

Priorities totally change.  It doesn’t matter anymore what all those other people say. The kids that bullied me back then, didn’t have as good a life as I ended up having.  And I actually feel sorry for some of them now.

When you’re in high school it feels like all that drama is all that matters.  If only we could see into the future, things would be so much easier when you’re in school.  Anything that goes wrong, feels like it’s the end of the world. But really, it’s not, at all!  When you grow up and get out into the world, you find out there’s so many other things in life that are so much more important.

 

Starting my Freshman year I was a majorette. I loved twirling and it meant the world to me.  The other girls that made it, all thought they were so much better than me.  All but one other girl. Her and I became very close friends. I know they thought I shouldn’t be a majorette.  I just wasn’t in that “in-crowd”, ya know?  But I was good at twirling and I made it every year.

It was the first time in my life that I actually had confidence that I was good at something, and I loved it.

Back then, my family didn’t have much money, my parents were divorced. But my mother always found a way to pay for my baton lessons and then the outfits and all I needed to be a majorette.  She was great, that way.

Then my Senior year, I had to figure out what to wear for my Senior pictures. Well, we just couldn’t afford to get me a new outfit, so I decided to wear one of my majorette tops.  It wasn’t the uniform we always wore, it was just a sweater we wore once in a while.  Well, that was apparently a tabu.  I didn’t think anything of it. It was the nicest top I had and I thought it would be great to wear.   After our pictures came out, I found out a few of the other majorettes were talking about how “horrible” it was I wore that sweater for my pictures! To this day, I’m still wondering what was the big deal? They were so petty and just wanted something to say about me, I swear!

I think we just need to teach our kids how important it is to be accepting of everyone.  If they see someone all alone at school, they should be-friend them. And stand up for them if someone starts bullying them.  It might not be an easy thing to do, but they should take the lead and help others.

Do you have a story of being bullied? Let us know in the comments.

Thanks for reading my story.

 

BULLYING – HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD