Bullying has been a thing among children since the dawn of time, but no one can deny that the rise of the internet and social media has made it into something that can damage a kid – or worse – in ways it never could before.
OP and his wife were shocked to learn that their daughter was part of a group of kids who bullied a girl at school to the point that she had to change schools.
Yesterday I was informed that my daughter Sam was a part of a group of students who bullied another girl to the point that she had to switch schools.
There was a racial aspect to the bullying, which came as a complete shock since my wife and I truly did our best to raise our 3 kids to be kind and honest individuals.
OP wants to make sure that his daughter understands how serious of an infraction this is and why, so his answer is to take away big senior year events and make her delete all of her social media.
I don’t believe that a grounding and a confiscation of electronics is harsh enough for what Sam did, so I told Sam that she won’t be allowed to participate in homecoming or attend senior prom.
I also told her that she won’t be getting a car for her 18th birthday either.
Finally, I told her that she’ll have to delete all of her social media accounts with either me or her mother watching.
His daughter is asking for prom to still be on the table, and for her to be able to keep pictures on Instagram that she doesn’t have saved anywhere else.
Sam begged me to allow her to go to senior prom because it’s a once in a lifetime event, and keep just her Instagram account because it had pictures going back years that weren’t saved anywhere else.
I told her that she shouldn’t have been a ra**st bully.
Her grandparents think she could have a point, but OP isn’t sure.
My parents are temporarily staying with us while their house is undergoing renovations.
They agree that what Sam did was completely out of line and must be punished, but they think that making my daughter miss homecoming and senior prom and forcing her to delete her social media is far far too harsh.
So, he’s asking Reddit.
The top comment says the punishment seems appropriate, but might be even more effective if he gives her a way to redeem herself before prom.
Image Credit: Reddit
Some might not like it, but consequences aren’t effective without hope.
Image Credit: Reddit
After all, we have to assume change is possible, or what’s the point?
Image Credit: Reddit
This person thinks no light at the end of the tunnel could just lead to the girl digging in her heels.
Image Credit: Reddit
And the reason for her change doesn’t matter, as long as she does.
Image Credit: Reddit
You can definitely tell the parents from the non-parents on the thread.
Also the people who think all criminals should be punished forever.
Yikes.