Anger in our youth is so scary in this present time.
I have been noticing and hearing more and more about the issue’s teenagers are facing every day.
The rate of bullying is almost beyond belief and the results of it for the victim are horrendous and sometimes devastating.
No longer is there a single bully, that once confronted and stood up to, all was done and dusted. The bully would no longer attempt to intimidate and stand over.
That was how it was not even as far back as my teenage years but in the time my daughters and sons were teens.
Now the bully has capacity to inflict upon their victim whenever they choose. It is not confined to the school grounds or hours.
They can also quickly gather a large posse of supporters to join in the taunts and verbal abuse. This comes about as most teens have their own mobile devices and social media accounts.
There is easy access to people non-stop, every hour of the day and night.
Remember the days when you had to phone a home number and speak to the parents? This had to happen before you had a remote chance of speaking to your friend or anyone you were having a discrepancy with.
Then there are the short fuses that appear to be even shorter than their predecessors in the generations before them. Minor little snide remarks or even a ‘glance’ or ‘look’ can result in violence these days.
Why are our young ones so angry that they lash out? What compels them to attack another student or teen?
I really do wish I had the answer to this. You see, three of my grandchildren are now in their teens. They have been subjected to this behaviour by others.
Do we need to be building greater resilience in our children, from a very early age, to prepare them for bullying and violence? Is it the norm now; expected that every child will encounter it themselves or know someone who has?
Anger in our youth; how can we help them be less angry and find their place in the world?
My hope is that effective solutions and strategies that will work over the long term can be found. And soon; very soon!
Violence and abuse are ugly any time. It is horrid and heartbreaking seeing it amongst our youth.
Image credit: Clker-Free-Vector-Images
When we feel gratitude for all we have, there is little room for anger. I wrote about appreciation in – ‘I Appreciate’
Could this be one way to assist our youth?