There's always a reason. That doesn't make it a good reason.

That is so sad  

people often say suicide is a selfish act. To me, such comments merely reveal the ignorance of the posters and nothing about the anguish and pain of those for whom this is the final act of desperation.

I've seen too many stories like this. I have no children, but I do have nephews and nieces and I wish I had answers. I don't know if this poor little boy was bullied online, but it wouldn't surprise me. 

How can we protect our kids?

I've seen too many stories like this. I have no children, but I do have nephews and nieces and I wish I had answers. I don't know if this poor little boy was bullied online, but it wouldn't surprise me. 

 

How can we protect our kids?

I can not imagine that poor mother's sorrow. You are so right, there have been too many stories like this. What do we do? Like James stated there's always a reason, but there are no good reasons for it. 

When my nephew was nine, my sister passed away. Big for his age, the gentle giant who wouldn't harm a fly moved in with us. Not long after some kids in the neighborhood began to take advantage of his kind nature. When they began to bully him, my nephew refused to fight back. After months of talking to parents who didn't give a damn, it continued until my nephew got fed up. The three monsters got the shock of their lives when my nephew nearly choked out the ring leader. The boy's feet were off of the ground, and his eyes were bulging. I had to pry my nephew off of the kid. Well that did the trick. The boy and his little crew stayed clear of my gentle giant. My sister had taught my nephew not to fight, because this is how it is done nowadays. Don't fight, just tell someone what's going on and let the adults handle it. Well...that did not work. 

I don't advocate violence, but back in the day bullies were faced head on. There was a girl who picked on me for years. Tired of being afraid, I finally stood up to her in front of others. This of course did not go over well with her, and so she called me out. The following day I made sure my hair was in cornrows (of course to prevent having my hair snatched out.) I wore my tennis shoes, a shirt without buttons, and my least favorite bell bottoms. I met my tormentor after school at the designated fight spot behind the First Baptist Church. Of course kids cannot resist a good fight, and so with a ring of spectators cheering us on, the fight commenced. Now don't get me wrong, she was a bad ass, but I had enough rage stored up from years of humiliation to tear her ass up. It was a tussle, but I kicked her butt. I topped it off by pulling up a clump of crabgrass with dandelions in it and plopped it on top of her head. lol From that day on I was bully free. 

How do we protect our kids? I don't know Tim. If we wrap them up and keep them sheltered, they will more than likely grow up afraid of the world. So we let them explore and find out for themselves that there are cruel people out there. They'll meet them in school, on playgrounds, on the streets and on the internet. Bullying is nothing new. Kids are cruel, always have been. Maybe it's the changing times. Bad parenting? Lack of supervision? Who knows. 

I always end up going on...so sorry for the rant. 

I can not imagine that poor mother's sorrow. You are so right, there have been too many stories like this. What do we do? Like James stated there's always a reason, but there are no good reasons for it. 

 

When my nephew was nine, my sister passed away. Big for his age, the gentle giant who wouldn't harm a fly moved in with us. Not long after some kids in the neighborhood began to take advantage of his kind nature. When they began to bully him, my nephew refused to fight back. After months of talking to parents who didn't give a damn, it continued until my nephew got fed up. The three monsters got the shock of their lives when my nephew nearly choked out the ring leader. The boy's feet were off of the ground, and his eyes were bulging. I had to pry my nephew off of the kid. Well that did the trick. The boy and his little crew stayed clear of my gentle giant. My sister had taught my nephew not to fight, because this is how it is done nowadays. Don't fight, just tell someone what's going on and let the adults handle it. Well...that did not work. 

 

I don't advocate violence, but back in the day bullies were faced head on. There was a girl who picked on me for years. Tired of being afraid, I finally stood up to her in front of others. This of course did not go over well with her, and so she called me out. The following day I made sure my hair was in cornrows (of course to prevent having my hair snatched out.) I wore my tennis shoes, a shirt without buttons, and my least favorite bell bottoms. I met my tormentor after school at the designated fight spot behind the First Baptist Church. Of course kids cannot resist a good fight, and so with a ring of spectators cheering us on, the fight commenced. Now don't get me wrong, she was a bad ass, but I had enough rage stored up from years of humiliation to tear her ass up. It was a tussle, but I kicked her butt. I topped it off by pulling up a clump of crabgrass with dandelions in it and plopped it on top of her head. lol From that day on I was bully free. 

 

 

How do we protect our kids? I don't know Tim. If we wrap them up and keep them sheltered, they will more than likely grow up afraid of the world. So we let them explore and find out for themselves that there are cruel people out there. They'll meet them in school, on playgrounds, on the streets and on the internet. Bullying is nothing new. Kids are cruel, always have been. Maybe it's the changing times. Bad parenting? Lack of supervision? Who knows. 

 

I always end up going on...so sorry for the rant. 

RJ never be sorry for saying something important to you. Your rant was great!

My mum brought me up to not be afraid, maybe she knew something I didn't because, well for a bunch of years out there, I was afraid, but I always stood up for myself too. 

Not sure parents can always do a lot. But this online stuff, when their kids are sitting alone in their rooms, looking at those awful websites, makes me think parents could do a little in that case.

Having never really experienced normal teen years I dont really know what its like to be one. 

Anyway.. maybe starting off by talking to our kids, would be a good way to begin. 

Talking is always good, even if it deteriorates to shouting once in a while.

I watched my daughter like a hawk any time she was on the net up until she was about 17 or so. She hated it. The computer in her room did not have net access, and the only place she could get online at home was in the family room where I could keep an eye.

As she was growing up, I always taught her the don't fight thing, but I also told her sometimes a gal's just gotta do what a gal's gotta do. If the "official" channels don't work, pop the bully one.  It's the way my parents raised me and the way I raised my daughter.  It worked with one exception, in which a boy that had been harassing her decided her telling him to f#$@ off was reason enough to lay hands on her. It got him arrested on assault charges.

I am happy to say she is now a happy healthy 24 yr old with a great boyfriend. 

Back in Dec. 2010 when I was in a psych hospital down in Texas for attempting suicide, we'd get out of our ward now and then for "social activities" and sometime there was this young boy, couldn't have been more than twelve, who had the tell-tale wrist bandages of someone who had tried going that way.

Every time I saw him with his handler I would wonder what was so bad in his life to make him want to go away permanently. It didn't help that he was incredibly cute. He had that "little brother" innocence about him.

And, then, at the Christmas party I heard him speak to his handler, to ask to go back to his ward because he missed being with his family. To be sad at a Christmas party must be horrible for a boy at that age, but his voice probably said more to me than anything. It wasn't that pronounced. I've heard worse, but the lisp was definitely there and with his Texas accent it even more obvious.

I think back, now, at that young boy. He's probably a junior or senior in high school and I hope he made it this far and has a future planned out.

Suicide is a horrible, horrible way to die, no matter how you choose to do it. Hanging (my attempt), slit wrists (his attempt), or any of the myriad of ways to cease life really never solves any problem. You're just giving in, letting your demons win, or in some cases, letting your tormentors think what they've done was the right thing to do.

Back in Dec. 2010 when I was in a psych hospital down in Texas for attempting suicide, we'd get out of our ward now and then for "social activities" and sometime there was this young boy, couldn't have been more than twelve, who had the tell-tale wrist bandages of someone who had tried going that way.

 

Every time I saw him with his handler I would wonder what was so bad in his life to make him want to go away permanently. It didn't help that he was incredibly cute. He had that "little brother" innocence about him.

 

And, then, at the Christmas party I heard him speak to his handler, to ask to go back to his ward because he missed being with his family. To be sad at a Christmas party must be horrible for a boy at that age, but his voice probably said more to me than anything. It wasn't that pronounced. I've heard worse, but the lisp was definitely there and with his Texas accent it even more obvious.

 

I think back, now, at that young boy. He's probably a junior or senior in high school and I hope he made it this far and has a future planned out.

 

Suicide is a horrible, horrible way to die, no matter how you choose to do it. Hanging (my attempt), slit wrists (his attempt), or any of the myriad of ways to cease life really never solves any problem. You're just giving in, letting your demons win, or in some cases, letting your tormentors think what they've done was the right thing to do.

I hope like hell he made it, too. Thanks for sharing that.