Dear Everyone In Every Generation,
Six....If you ask anyone, they will tell you that six people isn't that many people, or that it's a young age, or that it's just a number on a number line. Six, to me, has a lot more meaning. Six is the number of suicides that have taken place in my home school district by teens in the past six years. These six kids all had two things in common: they all lived in the same school district and they were all bullied within their years in the district.
What you say really matters. You never know what someone has been through or is going through. Belittling someone doesn't make you look any better anyways.
Our parents and other adults wonder why there is so much bullying and targeting. Our generations learn it from you. YOU, the parents, who decide to talk about people negatively behind people's backs shows our children that it's OK to talk about someone like that, when it's not.
It's OK to not like someone, it's OK to not agree with someone, but making them feel worthless, talking negatively about them behind their back, and making fun of them will only cause a downward spiral. Some people are more sensitive than others.
Constructive criticism is different than those stated above. It helps people learn from mistakes and improve themselves for the next time. This is something we can learn from and build from helping make us better and more productive people.
Until this begins to happen, teen suicide and suicide in general will not slow down. Something that I think is a great example of why being careful of what you say matters is hangman, because it shows that by saying the wrong things it could end someone's life.
Life is so precious, why would you want to spend yours saying negative things?
After hearing so many stories of suicides, especially of young people, there seemed to be a recurring thing in all of them. There always seemed to be bullying involved and in many cases people had told them to go kill themselves and had said that no one liked them. Imagine if someone had said that to you and meant it. You would be hurt too. You would also think that that is the only way to make things better.
Suicide doesn't end the hurt, it only ends the chances of things getting better.
Please be careful what you say around your kids, they take after you. Kids: please be careful of what you say, you never know what someone is going through.
If you or someone you love is thinking suicide is the only option please don't hesitate to call this hotline:
Resolve
1(888)-796-8226
The lines are open 24/7!
