France: Tired of being picked on and abused.
All too often we hear on the news about children who perhaps aren't fitting in socially. They get picked on and bullied by the cool kids maybe for years, and one day they just snap. We never hear their story until the six O'clock news on the day they decided they weren't going to take it anymore. France has long been that picked on kid, apparently they have decided they aren't going to take it anymore.
Jacques Chirac has cast asside his silly beret, hitched up his big boy pants, and in his best John Wayne voice announced that they would drop THE bomb on any country that harbors terrorist who attack France.
We probably want to work with our children and picked on countries to develop skills where they can difuse these situations early before they escalate to this level. If my child ends up being the picked on one in school, I will teach them very early to break the nose of the bully, striking so hard and so fast that the bully will never bother them again. My child will get suspended for a little while, but at least they aren't going to go on a shooting rampage years later when they finally decided enough is enough.
Comments
Dear Woody, Don’t worry about supercilious France doing any more that their usual running of mouth. Having been born in 1941 I have spent a life time watching their arrogance grow. And their posturing! Do I sound like I dislike the French? Yes, I do. Do they deserve it? You bet. Have they been bullied? No. They have instead been pampered and tolerated and given far more influence than they have earned in world affairs. Do some research of Frances’ actions during WWII. Or ask your grandparents how they feel. The German’s did not defeat France, because the door was wide open with the welcome sign out. They would have been left to stew in their own juice if Hitler had been content to limit himself to continental Europe, but he wanted the British and that we could not allow because the British would have fought to the last man. So we got into it and had to liberate France on our way to Germany.
Now as to your son. Teach him to stand up to the bully because the bully refuses to take a chance on getting hurt and will back down and look for easier prey. I don’t know the age of your son, but would recommend having him take karate lessons at 10 or 12. People who are unaware say, “Oh my and teach him to be violent?” It in fact does just the opposite. Karate teaches discipline and self-confidence and a kind of gentleness. Yes, gentleness. Something like the biggest kid around (if he isn’t the bully) will be the nicest most gentle person. He knows he is big enough to hurt if he wants or needs to, so therefore he doesn’t have the need. Knowing karate your son will walk taller, but never feel the need to show his muscle because he is confident that it is there. His attitude of self-confidence will carry over into all areas of his life. I did one thing right as a parent and that was to allow my son to take karate when he wanted to. Brenda Bowers
Posted by: Brenda Bowers | January 21, 2006 8:41 PM