Note to Readers: The Voice can be a teaching moment for all of us on the issue of bullying and social media. Parents are no longer able to rely on just what they hear to know if their child is being bullied. Twitter, Facebook, texting, and Snapchat offer today’s children and teens instant and often harsh interactions. Cyberbullying is real and now shows like The Voice have entered the world of Twitter and Facebook. Social media exposes how even a family show featuring talented youth can become a social media assault of online bullying. Cindy is passionate about bringing awareness to this subject and she helps address bullying through her children’s books. Thank you Cindy for pointing this out.
I am a children’s author who most recently published a book on bullying. Why did I choose bullying? In recent years bullying has been progressively getting worse and bullying on television has become a nationwide epidemic for many of our children.
by Cindy Springsteen
Recently, America voted and picked a winner Danielle Bradbery, who is the 16 year old young lady who shared my first article about what is happening on the Facebook pages relating to The Voice television show.
You would think that now that it is over things would quiet down? Actually, it is the exact opposite. The nastiness continues and everyday it seems to be worse than the day before.
Some will say this is America we have a right to our opinion and freedom of speech. Absolutely, I couldn’t agree with that more! Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but does that mean they should take these opinions and post them for the world to see and we won’t call it bullying?
I also know about criticism. As an author I know this one very well. Not everyone will like our work and someday someone may write a review saying so. Again, they have a right to their opinion. They don’t have to like what we do, but that also doesn’t give people the right to rip apart someone else’s hard work and dreams. There is a way to say things without being cruel and hurtful.
Having an opinion, “I really liked her/him, but my favorite was really_____” “I didn’t like the way he/she sings.” “I don’t like country music.” These are opinions, and not nasty.
When words like four eyes, freak, nerd, fat, pig and much more are said, I am trying to keep this PG here, are we saying we shouldn’t get in trouble? Should our Children be allowed to walk into school and call another child any of these words and it will be okay?
If what is happening on that wall is acceptable and continues what does this say? Then no child should ever get in trouble for saying anything like this, right? Why should a child be punished but grown-ups can continue to pick apart a 16 year old child and that it is okay?
I often wonder if I am the only one who is so deeply upset by what I am seeing. Why do adults specifically go to a post with a picture of not their favorite artist only to post rude nasty remarks?
If I avoid the wall and do nothing then aren’t I just as guilty? It would be as if I was watching a child get bullied, but turned my back on them and walked away.
Is this the type of world we want? Do we want our children growing up with no morals of right and wrong? Opinions are not opinions anymore, they are hateful bullying that everyone seems to overlook. Why are people so filled with hate toward people they don’t even know, living their own dreams? They are all so extremely talented and deserve respect!
I know we can’t win the Battle, but together we can try to make a difference in the kindness of the world our children are growing up in by showing example. Many times bullying starts in the home. Children watch what you say and what you do. Most of the hateful hurtful remarks I have been seeing are from adults, whose children are probably seeing this and thinking it is alright to do. If we want our children to grow up to be respectful responsible adults we need to show them how that is done.
If you would like to help me in this battle please feel free to contact me on my Facebook page listed below. Bullying is out of control in this country. My fight against this bullying is only a baby step forward in a world filled with so much anger, hate and bullying. I will take these baby steps over and over, as opposed to the alternative of doing nothing and going backwards.
Cindy Springsteen is a published poetry writer, whose first children’s book “Waffles and Pancakes A Lesson in Friendship” was released in April 2012. In September 2012 book two “Waffles and Pancakes A Lesson in Bullying was released. Each book has a moral which help to teach valuable lessons with cute loveable characters. She has been writing since she was in her teens. You can find her on twitter at https://twitter.com/C_Springsteen. She spent many years researching and writing about parenting teenagers for various publications, along with her own website www.cindy-springsteen.com.You can also follow her on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/author.cindy.springsteen
Books:
Waffles and Pancakes A Lesson in Friendship http://www.amazon.com/Waffles-Pancakes-Cindy-Springsteen/dp/1618622226/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y
Waffles and Pancakes A Lesson in Bullying http://www.amazon.com/Waffles-Pancakes-Bullying-Cindy-Springsteen/dp/0988270714/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369965035&sr=1-2&keywords=waffles+and+pancakes