In Texas, a mother’s unique approach to stopping her son from bullying others has caught the attention of many.
The mom, named Star, learned that her son, a fifth grader, was calling other kids names like “stupid” and “idiots.” Wanting to nip this behavior in the bud, Star decided to take a bold step.
Star is a self-described “old-school” parent who believes in tough love rather than coddling her children. She told her local news station, KTRK, “I did what I had to do to stop it from progressing.” She doesn’t shy away from showing her kids the harsh realities of the world.
Her method? She made her son wear a T-shirt to school that read: “I am a BULLY.” Star hoped this would make her son reflect on his actions and the pain he caused others. She even shared a picture of him in this shirt on Facebook, aiming to connect with the parents of the children her son had bullied, offering apologies from her son.
The reaction to Star’s method was mixed. Some praised her for taking strong action to correct her son’s behavior, while others thought this public shaming was too harsh and could negatively impact her son in the long run.
A child psychiatrist, Dr. Richard Pesikoff, weighed in on the situation, expressing concerns over the T-shirt’s potential harm. He suggested that embarrassing a child publicly and branding him as a bully could worsen things rather than help. According to Dr. Pesikoff, it’s important to seek constructive help, perhaps from educational professionals, in such situations.
Despite the backlash, Star reported that her son’s school supported her decision, understanding her intentions were to stop the bullying behavior directly. However, after receiving a wave of negative feedback, Star chose to remove the photo from Facebook.
This story opens up a lot of questions about the best way to handle bullying behavior. Should parents take drastic measures like Star, or are there better ways to teach kids the consequences of their actions without potentially stigmatizing them?
