Bullying

[Bubbs]

Recently a friend on FB has been posting updates that her son has been bullied due to his hair colour (ginger), and he's having a really tough time. The advice I've seen in the comments have ranged from change schools, to tell your son to avoid these kids.

I commented saying that you should get your son into martial arts classes and make him confront the bully head on. I said he should just go and smash the kid in the face as hard as he can. Turns out a lot of people disagreed with this suggestion...

...Am I wrong to think this? I remember I was being bullied (by a ginger kid as it goes) when I was in school. I was more anxious and pissed off than depressed but still I avoided confrontation as fighting is scary. Then one day after school, around 6 older boys surrounded me and the bully (who was all mouth) entered the circle. The older kids were goading him to fight. I felt like I was going to get a pasting and did the only thing that made sense - I haymaker'd the guy in the face, aim wasn't great and hit him in the mouth - the kid put his hand to his mouth and saw blood - totally took the fight out of him and he ran away. I walked home and never had any more trouble from the kid, the older kids who has surrounded me also magically decided I was worthy of their friendship.

I will always give this same advice. Sometimes motherfuckers need to be smacked hard in the mouth.

What would your advice be?
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Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

[Mark65]

Similair thing when I was a teenager, arsehole bullied me for weeks then one day followed me into the school gym on his own (arrogent prick, mates were a bit behind), door shut and I though screw it, laid into him, burst his lip, his buddies arrived and I got a kicking.
I assume it shocked him because he left me alone after that and went to torture another poor get. Taught my son the same thing, dont be an easy target.
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07 Yamaha YBR125, 07 Honda CG125 , 15 CBR300R (Chocolate Crank, Deaded), 16 CB500FA, 19 Honda Forza 300, 70 Suzuki SV650

[-]

"Grow thicker skin or dye your hair"?

Kids will always give someone who stands out a hard time, short, tall, fat, thin, different accent to the locals, glasses wearer, ginger... Some forms of prejudice are still evidently acceptable, even though social engineering has removed skin colour or race from this group. Being ginger is not too far different from being black, but somehow doesn't trigger the same outrage.

Showing that it bothers you only encourages them more. Ignore it, move on...the fun soon wears off.
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[G]

[groovylee]

i agree with you Bubbs. i was given the same advice by my old man, and it worked just fine.

that said, the kid is ginger. i mean, surely hair dye is an option?

just look at the shit Carvel gets.........

(kidding obvs)

Lee
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[Bubbs]

[DrSnoosnoo]

I think people tried to bully me for being ginger.

I say think because I never really "took" it that way. I just joined in. They'd say ginger and I'd then rattle off all the ginger insults I knew.

Bonfire balls was my favourite.

Here are the options:

Laugh it off and join in

Gives names back

Or, if the kids are just wankers and will find anything to taunt him over, tell em to fuck off, the sad bastards and go and see your mates

If the kids follow to continue, probably get it over with and sock the biggest one in the mouth. Might get a kickin' but they might find a less volatile sucker to direct abuse at. They might give the kid a kickin' but the one who got a busted lip will remember it.

INSERT SAFE SPACE - all of the above is if and when the school do nothing about it.
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[Fin]

You can't expect a school to do anything about it, they will only make it worse. I wouldn't say martial arts classes are needed, if anyone just tries to stand-up for themselves it will usually work.

Unless the kid is so sensitive that being called a ginger cunt makes him cry, or being told he has no soul

[Poseidon]

[andyscooter]

I was bullied at college

Until I smashed one of them in his nose with a toolbox full of tools
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[Ste]

[stinkwheel]

Get him to cultivate a reputation for being a wee bit mental and uppredictable.

Worked for me. I was 12-18 months younger than most of my year and as such was considerably smaller. Special attack: Flying Headbutt. But not when the incident occurred, at random when they weren't expecting it then run away.

"Why did you just stick the nut on Frank?! He's going mental, he's out to kick your arse."

"When his nose stops bleeding enough to see me. Shouldn't have hung my schoolbag up a tree."

Word gets round.
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[nowhere.elysium]

I was bullied mercilessly at school for exactly the same reason. I desperately wish I'd just smacked the everloving fuck out of the gobby cunts giving it large. As it stands, I was brought up by pacifists with religion who'd heard about this whole 'raising a kid to be nice' thing and decided they wanted some of that action, so it took several years of relentless abuse before I just ended up developing a significantly thicker skin.

Since then I learned to give as good as I get, thus leading us to the lovable bastard that you guys know today.
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[MCN]

Lamp one of the bastirts. They learn quick that it can be nasty to be a bully.

One must be bullied at least once to sort some flickers out.

+1 for Kung Fu or something. Not judo as you'd have to maybe roll about with the bully and they may be smelly fukirs. 😦
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[stinkwheel]

Although hopefully learning a martial art would teach him the self-confidence and discipline NOT to lamp them one.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Rogerborg]

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Aww bugger. I always thought gingers had no feelings. Soz.

Then again I got battered at Primary school because I have an Irish name and some kids thought my family had something to do with the IRA.

They stopped battering me shortly after I started twatting them back but not before my nose was broken twice. Typical scenario of in trouble with teachers and home and didn't talk to anybody about it
Kinda turned into a bully myself when I found I could run really fast.
I'd run upto one of the *offenders and punch them real hard then run off.

It would've been the perfect crime if for one glaring oversight...sometimes they would wait and ambush me but this soon stopped as most people don't like getting hit even if they're winning. <<<For want of a better word.

Secondary school and I didn't know 1 person there. I did what Stinkwheel did...Went mental now and again but not stabby mental. At this point and pretty much thereafter I never back down.

Moral of this is.

I wish I'd had the intelligence to see the insults for what they were worth and ignore them or have a clever comeback.

*UK Amateur boxing champ Who later showed me how to defend myself.


Do NOT dye the kids hair. Teach them what to say and do in these bully situations and how to defend themselves if push comes to shove.
Taught my kid and they got through school ok. Talk open and honest and remain calm.
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[MCN]

[MarJay]

[Sload]

Kids are little sociopaths, far eviler then most adults. Your advice is sound. There is the modern phenomena of wishful thinking that empathy can resolve all disputes.
He either needs to grow thick skin and a cutting sense of humour to twist it round or the ability to shock beyond what the bully is willing. A bit of training is good anyway, get them down the gym.

He will probably get some crap from the adults for defending himself but oh well,
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[M.C]

[kawakid]

I have a son who has "Strawberry Blonde" hair and I blame retribution from god on how I was with people with such hair when I was younger.

He doesn't give a feck and gives as good as it gets.
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[J4mes]

Just be aware of one-upmanship.


[ only 32 but old git mode]
"In our day" you gave someone a smack and it was done with, there was no plotting revenge or going home to get a knife or getting a group to stove you in or hiding round the corner with a brick or any of that shite.

Seems different these days.

[/only 32 but old git mode]

[G]

That's always been the way really - who's the most nuts.

If you're dealing with pikeys or others of similar culture, you need to tread very carefully. (In plenty of cases people have 'won', others the complete opposite.)

[Sload]

Valid point, hence why I addressed it as who is willing to go further. Alas we are projecting a bit.

Without going into a life story, I got shit, I cracked, I launched the guy infront of all the lads in the locker room, I still remember his face and the reaction from everyone he was trying to show off to. My upbringing of turn the other cheek then paralysed me and I lost the war so to speak even if I was capable of dropping him.

Bit of boxing always helps lads to deal.
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