I went to the school this morning and spoke to one of the vice principals there. She was understanding, but it bordered on dismissive. So I stressed that I didn't necessarily want these children punished, I wanted some education to be done. Perhaps the pump company could come in and do a presentation on diabetes and answer any questions the kids had.
I know that kids are like that. They will pick on any percieved weakness - god knows, it happened often enough to me when I was little. If O had dyed her hair green or pierced her nose 12 times, I would have told her that that was a choice she made and she'd have to deal with the teasing somehow. She doesn't have a choice about diabetes. It's not going to go away. And she's already talked about another boy with D who is picked on mercilessly. He has no friends and always sits by himself at lunch. I DO NOT want O to become that child.
O has developed a lot of self-confidence over the last couple of years about her diabetes. Going to camp has done that for her and I don't want this to cause a major setback. We had to do a site change last night and she wanted it in her stomach "So people won't see it and make fun of me." Knife. Heart. Twist.
She told her dad about it last night, too. His advice? It's just something you'll have to put up with. God, she was pissed about that. She got off the phone and was totally disgusted with him.
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9 comments:
Did they agree to an assembly with the pump rep? That would be a huge help in getting kids to be a little bit more tolerant (or at least I'd like to think so).
Good luck with all of this. I wouldn't want to relive my school days for a million bucks.
Kids are so mean :-( Hugs to O... I hope the school doesn't dismiss the behavior - good for you for sticking up for O and even talking to the school.
I hated school. Couldn't pay me to go back to secondary school...and I'm pretty desperate for money right now. It's not what was done to me, it was the stupid, selfish, self-centered attitude that most kids have. Man, I hope I can teach my kids to NOT be that way.
I agree, doing a presentation would probably help a whole lot. I'm glad you went to the school to discuss this with them. Let us know what comes of it.
Big hugs to O. It's tough being a kid sometimes - but we all know she's better than those snotty little freaks who made fun of her pump.
::stepping on the soap box::
OK, my 2 cents as a token Diabetic Poster Child. I think education is good, but I think instead it might be better if it was you and O going into the classes. I never really had much teasing, but my mom and I gave our "diabetes presentation" every year when I was in elementary school (3 years total there). It might be more feasible to just do it with O class, rather than the whole school (I just know how kids start tuning assemblies out...). Everyone basically knew I had it so it wasn't a big deal when I got the pump, because they knew I had diabetes.
These kids might not even know she has diabetes, or they don't know what it's for. Kids are terribly immature, and I think the best thing for O to do when teasing or discrimination occurs is to stop, turn around, and say "This is an insulin pump. This is what is keeping alive and healthy. It's really important and I would appreciate it if you wouldn't tease me about something that I need." And then she can turn around. If the kids keep teasing her after that, there really is only so much you can do. O has to show that she isn't ashamed of having diabetes because shame or fear are the easiest ways to get people to pounce on you. She doesn't have to be happy she has diabetes, but she should be proud of Who She Is, and then the teasing won't mean anything.
::stepping off soapbox::
Any chance O could befriend the other kid who has D and they can possibly educate their peers together?
Does she have a good school nurse? get her involved--this is just the kind of thing school nurses should be doing.
OK.
I'm a man. Sue me.
O's dad is technically right, at least in the short run. Until such a time as the kids who tease your daughter are educated AND are willing to act upon said education, she doesn't have much of a choice. It's not pretty, it sure as Hell is not fair, but she will have to withstand this.
Oh, and I'd want these kids punished. Not a lot, but something to make them realize how lucky they have it the little ingrates.
-Mr. Man
kids are too cruel at that age. be a little different, do things differently, and you're a target for teasing (or worse).
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