When I was young and in high school I was bullied. I didn't know how to react or what to do, or who to talk to. I didn't have anyone. So instead of doing something positive, I reacted negatively. I turned to drugs, alcohol, sex, abuse, destruction of property and physical damage to others. I turned to drugs first. I had an ounce a week habit, plus drinking and other drugs. Marijuana was the drug of choice because it was easy to get and it gave me the necessary relief of what I faced in daily life. When I started high school I was inexperienced in life and followed along with the path my parents had chosen. I entered grade nine not knowing what to expect or what to accept. When you are young you want to receive helpful advice from your peers, parents and councilors. It doesn't always work out that way. I wanted to go to a school that I had to bus to, but offered something I was interested in. That interest was cars. The school I wanted to go to was a tech school, not an academic school like my parents had chosen for me. In all honesty, if I had of went to the tech school like I wanted, I would probably be working in Texas for $100,000 a year. Instead, here I sit preaching to anyone that will listen, or understand what I am speaking about for nothing. I am unemployed, not really employable, wanting to start a business with little or no funds, and only half the knowledge to do so with. I guess you could say I am an alcoholic, not a drug user anymore, but which is worse, really. I end up at the bottom of the pile anyway. I am divorced with four children, two biologically. They all call me dad. I am proud of that. They are currently going to school, not necessarily passing but they are trying. This may sound like I am rambling, but it probably is. I was never diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, or anything like that, but I believe that I have some of the symptoms for Bi-polar,(might explain some of the rambling and intellect), i also have mood problems, swings, bursts, etc. Doesn't matter though we are not here to talk about me, rather we are here talk about our children. My son goes through constant taunting at school, he deals with it violently. The other day he was surrounded by five or six younger boys of another nationality and they were provoking him. I hope they got what they expected, he reacted violently after several minutes of taunting and name calling and other abuse, witnessed by yard supervisors. He along with the other kids involved were suspended from school. My son turns 14 on February 14, 2014. I am very proud of what he has achieved, and I hope he goes on to succeed in life where I have failed. He has a learning disability, he is ADHD, medicated, very athletic, I have the medals and trophies to prove it. I love him and his brothers and sister very much, they will probably never understand how much. I just wish they didn't have to put up with the same bullshit that I put up with. I thought times had changed but not really, it's just directed differently, (name-calling, physical abuse, mental abuse), the level at which i received it, and level that my children are bombarded with it is unrealistic. With cell-phones, texting, chatting, Facebook, Skype, and all the other SOCIAL MEDIA, along with the name-calling, and physical abuse, not-to-mention the medical problems and learning problems, it seems like they have no chance to succeed in life. Maybe I'm wrong, I'm not sure anymore. I am sure of one thing though, I don't want to see any of my children bullied or abused by others.
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