Bullies

How come girls can be so mean? Especially those middle school years! Ugh. I still live with emotional scars from the torment that I endured in the fifth and sixth grades and now, unfortunately, my little Hopey is dealing with it in grade six.

When she told me about it the other day, I have to say, I was taken by surprise. She has always been the one who LOVED school. She could change schools and adapt so quickly. She makes friends easily and is always popular and teacher's pet.

She has been doing great this year, but now I hear there are two girls really making her life miserable. Fortunately, one of them doesn't go to her school yet. She will next year though and it has her extremely worried.

No, they are not threatening her with bodily harm or stealing her lunch money. But, what they are stealing is much more valuable. They are stealing her self-confidence and her innocence and I am burning mad about it.

They pick on her ears, saying things like "Those ears are as big as bird wings. Why don't you fly away with them!" And because she sucked her thumb, she does have some issues with her teeth, so that is an easy target.

It just breaks my heart and I know exactly how she feels, because I lived it. I know that talking to the parents or teachers could most likely make things worse. (That's what happened in my case). So, what do I do?

Her dad is working on the braces aspect and I'm hoping that she will get some relief from that soon, but the ears. I had plastic surgery on my ears when I was in my 20's and I'll tell you what, that was a nightmare in itself. I don't know if I could do it again, yet alone put her through it. (That's IF I could afford it!)

I thought about perming her hair and changing the style, but I'm sure these girls would have some snide comments about that as well.

The girl that doesn't go to her school yet is the worst. She is in the same grade, but goes to the elementary school in Hill. Next year she will merge in with the regular middle school in Franklin. What makes her the worst is that she is one of those types that pretends to be a friend and then slips the bullying into situations unexpectedly.

For example, she'll invite Hope over to her house and spend the entire time belittling her. Of course Hope is afraid to say "no" to her requests to come over for fear that she would then become an even bigger target. I guess she hopes to somehow sway her opinion.

So, for now, I've told her to just avoid both girls. When she gets invited to her home tell her that she has to go to a relatives house with her father. Better yet, I told her, look at the caller ID. If it's her, just simply not answer the phone.

The one thing that Hope does have going for her is two teenage sisters that are very popular and her sister Taylor is fighting mad about it. (You know how it is; "I can pick on my sister, but nobody else better!")

Middle school girls tend to idolize the high school girls and I think it would be a good idea to let her sister have a few words with both girls!

Let me know what you all think!