When I was in Junior High, I had my "fair share" of being picked on, teased, and bullied ...and arguably, it could be said that I allowed it, because I was bigger than them. I certainly didn't like the taunting, but I didn't like to fight either.

Now, I know there are always differences in opinion.  And I also know others, like myself, who are quick to give advice ...especially, after the fact.  But, go ahead and tell me what you think I should have done!

What I did, was virtually nothing ...except, tolerate it, and internalize my own private torment because I didn't want to share it.

I was in the 7th grade, when it was mostly verbal teasing.

But the build up of it was really getting to me. My dad could see that I wasn't my usual self, and asked me what was wrong.  I said it was nothing. Dad said not to tell him it was nothing, he could tell it was something.  But I didn't want to say what it was ...and I just told him I could handle it.

The following week, he said he could see I hadn't handled it, and asked again what was wrong.

I said it was just a kid bothering me at school. He asked if the kid was bigger than me.  I said, no ...and he promptly told me to knock the kid down!!

A couple days went by ...and my dad asked if the kid was still bothering me.

I said, "Yes."   He asked, "Did you knock him down?"   I said, "No."  He told me, "I'm going to tell you what my dad told me.  If you don't knock him down, I'm going to knock you down!"

I wasn't afraid of my dad, but I was afraid of what he'd think of me.

So, I went to school, and when the kid taunted me, I knocked him down.

Do you know what happened next?

The kid did not give up!  I knocked him down three or four times, and all he did ...was do it more!!  I didn't really want to hurt him.  And besides, things were different in my dad's day ...they usually just considered it fair treatment that would toughen up a kid, when having to face obstacles like this.  But in my day, the schools had to deal with incidents where students were prosecuted for extreme violence ...and I'm convinced this kid wouldn't have stopped unless I sent him to the hospital, which I would've never dreamed of doing.