Wait, I already felt stupid. Sorry, I take that back.

Stay warm K!

I’m saying that there are certain people who would read that, who WOULD say that if she wants her kids bullied then they’ll make sure it happens.

But then, what do I know? As a parent of teenagers, I’m reminded on a daily basis how much I don’t know.

“I wouldn’t want my children to miss out on any of that teasing and bullying.”

Sounds to me like she’s simply saying she doesn’t want her kids to miss out on any aspect of their adolescence. It’s not like she said “I sure hope someone kicks my kids ass!”

It’s a minor distinction, but it’s there just the same.

The only part I don’t agree with is your apparent interpretation of the quote from Reese, that she WANTS her kids to be bullied.

She sounds to me like a realist who knows it’s likely to happen and she realizes it’s just a part of growing up.

Calling her crazy for that? Sorry, I don’t get it.

I wouldn’t want my children to miss out on any of that teasing and bullying.

Somebody, somewhere, is going to interpret that as, “Well, she doesn’t want her kids to miss out on teasing and bullying? Great…I’ll make sure they don’t!”

I recognize that a certain amount of teasing and bullying happens and there’s nothing you can do about it. However, WANTING it to happen is another thing entirely.

I’ve always been disgusted at the whole “Everyone is special, everyone is a winner!” nonsense. Especially in children, it gives a false sense of self importance. Besides, if everyone wins by default at whatever they do, if everyone is constantly inundated with this ideology that they’re just as good as the next person, then why ever try to improve? Why strive to be better at anything?

Didn’t I say that? Pretty sure I did.

I understand the point of not wanting to protect your kids from everything that comes down the pike, because that just produces kids who have a very warped view of life and what they feel it owes them. As much as we as parents might want to, we can’t–nor is it healthy–to protect our children from everything. And yes, I agree with the not every kid is an MVP part. I mean, when they’re little, it’s one thing…everybody plays, everybody wins. But by the time they get to teenage years, they should be well versed in the fact that not everybody can win, not everybody is cut out for every sport, and somebody has to lose.

In fact, I said everything YOU said, except for the first sentence.

Sorry, but that’s life. You don’t get to win at everything. Sometimes people don’t like you, sometimes you come in at last place, and sometimes you get punched in the nose.

I’ve always been disgusted at the whole “Everyone is special, everyone is a winner!” nonsense. Especially in children, it gives a false sense of self importance. Besides, if everyone wins by default at whatever they do, if everyone is constantly inundated with this ideology that they’re just as good as the next person, then why ever try to improve? Why strive to be better at anything?

Now as for the bullying, I have to say I hate a bully more than anything else. Never in my life have I tolerated them, even if they weren’t bullying me. But it does build character to stand up to a bully. They exist everywhere in life, not just in school.

People have to learn to deal with bullies eventually, and where better than in school while you’re learning everything else? You’re there learning the skills for social interaction later on in life the same as you are learning facts and figures. Standing up for yourself when needed is a part of that.

I understand the urge to want to protect your children, but you can’t bubble wrap the world. Kids get bumps and bruises, these too prepare them for life later on. Part of raising a child is preparing them for all the things to come, successes and failures. If you don’t do your best to provide them with all the tools they might possibly need, you’ve failed as a parent.