People Share Their Craziest 'You've Become The Thing You Swore To Destroy' Experiences
Life's viewpoints can be so different when you're younger and you have your whole life ahead of you. You think you're fighting back against some tyrannical power bent on keeping your rebel heart in check. It's then, in those rage-filled glory years, you might think, "I'll never become like them. I'm going to keep sticking it to the man."
But years pass, and before you know it, you are "the man."
Reddit user, Zealousideal-Golf984, wanted to hear about the time when you became that which you vowed to destroy when they asked:
"What is your "You have become the very thing you swore to destroy" moment?"
Rhetorical Questions Abound
"I told my friend's kids they could have a toy if they didn't fight over it, and if they fought I would take it back, they agreed, then proceeded immediately fight over it when I turned around. Without any conscious input from my brain I span back and heard myself exclaim "What did I just say?!""
"And suddenly I was my mother."
– ttnl35
Coming Round Full Circle
"I teach at my old high school lol literally have coworkers that have sent me to the principal’s office before"
– Watchtwentytwo
It's Going To Rot Your Brain!
"Complaining to my son about him playing to much video games."
– skwolf522
Nothing Better Than Plans Getting Cancelled
"Growing up, my dad hated going out. When we went on church outings, we were always the first family to leave. He just wanted to stay in and read the paper or watch tv. I vowed to never be as boring as him when I got older."
"Now that I'm older, nothing makes me happier than when plans get cancelled and I can just chill at home, and not worry about the commute or how much money I'd have to spend going out. Even if it's something I'm looking forward to like a band I really wanna see, part of me still wants to not go because of how crappy the late night commute will be."
– YounomsayinMawfk
Where Do You Even Sit?
"My couch has no less than 8 decorative pillows on it. I am a monster."
– MargotFenring
"This is the worst one"
– lowtoiletsitter
It's In The Fine-Print Within The Fine-Print
"I make commercials for a living. I f-cking hate commercials to the core of my soul."
– JhymnMusic
"Ugh dude same."
"I got hired as an animator at an agency not too long ago, so I figured I'd be doing lots of fun and flashy animations. I don't mind making commercials so long as they've got interesting visuals, which is something I greatly enjoy doing."
"I've been making glorified powerpoints about Medicare ever since I got hired. I've frequently received feedback to literally "make it less fun". A project I made 2 years ago, a fun and flashy internal use video, is getting a new iteration that I'll be doing soon. The old version made setting up web pages and product descriptions look interesting."
"They said they didn't like it and to "have less fun" with it, so I plan on being spiteful and making it f-cking awful to sit through. The problem with that is that I know that's exactly what they want."
"I'm reminded of the Pixies from Fairly Odd Parents, and how Timmy and the gang are the exciting antithesis of the drab corporate culture the pixies represent. I didn't think I'd become one. Lord help me."
– Tokiw4
Karmic Payback Is Amplified In The Classroom
"I was in a computer class in high school and would drive the teachers nuts. I even had the other kids mocking the teachers by shouting out "on task!" whenever the teacher would start looking around to make sure we were working."
"I now teach a high school computer class. A student the other day stopped me before I could tell them to put their phone away and go back to work by saying "I know, I know, on task, on task".
"I was speechless and just left the student to return to my desk and rethink my life choices."
– majorscud
Stopping People From Having Fun
"When I setup the website blocker on the company network. I spent so much of my childhood trying to get around those blockers at school, and now I'm the one setting it up."
"Edit: Admittedly, I'm not so evil as to block things for being categorized as "tasteless" like my school did, it's really just porn and illegal things, but I still feel slimy for doing it."
"Edit 2: Also, so be clear, I don't work at a school. My company does however employ a lot of Salesmen, and they're basically children, so..."
– Nik_Tesla
Leaving The Grunt Work To Someone Else
"When I was an apprentice electrician it always pissed me off when my journeyman would make me do the hard manual parts of a job while he did the easier, but more technical work. I always swore that when I got my license and my first apprentice that I’d be different."
"That went out the window pretty quick."
– Anakin_Skywanker
We're products of those who raise us. We take in what they do, what they say, and how they act to become the people the outside world gets to interact with.
– It's critical we recognize this, for better or worse.
Seeing, Growing, Learning
"Sh-t, a looooong time ago (when I was 11 or so) I was walking across the school yard. My dad used to beat my butt when he was having a bad day and it really f-cked with me, so I was walking and just fuming, hating on him and how much of a tyrant he was for taking out his anger on me."
"Well, in that moment I bumped into a kid like 1/2 my size and he went to the ground. He hugged my legs (I think reflexively) and I just started pounding his face. I remember him crying, begging me to stop, the hatred, and then just a sudden moment of clarity. I realized I was a sh-tty person, that I was super mean, and that the kid I was hitting had done nothing wrong but was just a helpless target for my anger. I instantly flipped to empathizing for him, and saw myself for who I was. I can't describe the horror."
"I started crying and helping the boy up, we walked to the office together in tears and I ended up telling my principal everything. It was a long time ago, so they just decided to give me an in school suspension and not inform my parents."
"Also, that kid and I ended up exchanging SNES games and playing mtg/warhammer together a bunch in the following years. Andrew, dude, I can't apologize enough, and thank you so much for not leaving me in a hell of my own creation. Decades later and I still think about you, and how kind of a person you were, you changed a life, man."
"EDIT: Okay, just to clear up misconceptions and mass respond. This did not flip a switch and end my relationship with violence and anger. That took, well, up until today and then some. I still have anger that flares up and completely blinds me, but after decades, I'm not losing control or lashing out. Andrew wasn't one of the kids that I went after at school, I picked on kids that I thought were bullies, totally oblivious to the commonalities between me and them."
"I don't really have words for those of you that were bullied, or hurt while at school. Except that those of you that fantasize about beating up bullies now, as adults, need to find a better method for feeling empowered. You are literally just adult versions of playground bullies, we all had the kids that we thought were okay to victimize for some justification or another."
– IonlyusethrowawaysA
The Argument Will Never End
"My mom has always gaslighted me since an early age."
"Now when I'm in an argument with her, I find myself sometimes using the exact same argument tactics."
"So far this has only happened with her, but it's frightening, and it just happens now."
– YanZi101
Cheaters Never Prosper
"When I was im high school, I was not a very clever student and used to copy a lot. Got mad at the smart kids who never allowed me to copy from them. Fast forward a couple of years now ending college and I’ve gotten pretty good with good grades. The other day we were taking a test and I saw someone trying to copy my test, I realized that and I turned my page to the blank space so they couldn’t copy from me. I felt bad and realized that I became those kids I used to hate."
– Sebas-obando678
Nature vs Who You Are
"I used to be homophobic as a kid because of my surroundings and now I’m bisexual"
– tanukithot_
"You know, it's very sad to think about it actually but like many of my fellow queer people, younger me was somewhat transphobic (probably cause of how I grew up, internalised homo/transphobia)."
"Well have a wild guess: I'm pansexual and non-binary."
– professional-kiddo
Don't We All Eventually Become Shut Ins?
"Whenever my family had a get together, my mom would always stay home. I would pester her and say “it’ll only be a few hours, you should come!""
"Fast forward a few years and now I’m living on my own. I got invited to a family reunion with my entire family (40+ relatives) and I am trying to find every excuse possible not to go."
"And I thought she was the hermit…"
– theshartguy
May The Force Be With You
"My husband hates, hates, hates, hates (*hated) Disney adults. And I mean, I get it. I love Disney movies but don’t feel the need to obsess. Seeing him attend a Disney wedding with me and lose his mind at Star Wars galaxy’s edge was priceless. He had to eat his words and Disney themed wedding cake. Did I mention we had matching pride T-shirt’s for the park? -his idea >_<"
– EatTheRich69696969
That's Not A Good Reason!
"I told my sons “bc I said so” the other day, and nearly put myself in a time out for it"
– abdab909
We all have to grow up sometime.
Maybe don't worry so much about picking up that ice cream on the way home.
Students and Teachers Break Down The Worst Cheating Attempts They've Ever Seen
Dude really?! No wonder you have to cheat.
We've all done it, it's not a sin... at least I think it's not. We've all cheated on a test at least once in our lives. The only rule to cheating is... "if you're gonna do, do it right!" Cheating can actually be a skill. It requires deftness and precision. If you can't do it... just take the F. Don't become a shame story for the generations that follow.
Redditor u/molnarg1102 wanted teachers and students to let us know the best ways to NOT get caught while trying to pass, though one would think that would already be obvious but.... no. They asked... What's the best/worst attempt at cheating you've seen during a test?
Handwritten....
This guy wrote all the solutions/answers at his palm, when the teacher asked him to open his hand he just said: "I cant open it." Screwed me up lol. birdi1e
I knew a guy that once wrote answers on his quad for an exam. He wore basketball shorts to school that day and rolled up his pants leg to see the answers.
The teacher came around and asked what he was looking at, then asked him to roll up his pants leg. Kid then accused the teacher of being a flirt. I don't remember exactly what happened after but I think he got a day of detention and an F on the exam. hotpocketlord
Yummy.
A kid hid a sticky note in the top of his mechanical pencil and pulled it out when the teacher wasn't looking, after he was done with the test he ate it. Fiberglass_mayne
Speak Up.
GiphyWe had a french speaking test, where you had to recite a speech we had already written, except no one could be bothered to learn it, so there was this one guy who sat at the front who held his french book up like he was reading it, and on the back he held a printed version of the persons speech. Safe to say it worked because everyone did really well. Sufficient-Violinist
Starting too Young....
When I was in 3rd grade, we had to take a a math test at the end of the day for the stuff we went over. Well right before the test started, the teacher erased all the info on the whiteboard with all the answers on it. During the test, I could see the imprint of the answers still on the board. After my teacher realized I was suspiciously staring that the whiteboard very hard, she cleaned the board and the answers were gone. I didn't do very well on that test. mrcool998
"I gave it to you at the 8am section"
This is also the most impressed I have been with a college professor. Calc 3, multiple session (~80 students each), and on test day you could come in during any session that you wanted to take it. There were also 5 tests in the semester, and you can drop your lowest (ie you can throw your test away before grading).
It was fairly common, unless you were trying not to take the final, so there were occasionally people that did not turn in the test before leaving. I was in the later section, and as the prof was handing out the test. He skipped over the blonde Canadian, and he was like "You missed me". The prof said "I gave it to you at the 8am section" and carried on.
He had tried to go to the earlier section to get the test, learn all the answers/what is on it/have all day, and turn it in with the afternoon section. And this professor recognized who he had given a test to earlier out of 200 students. Then he became know as the blonde Canadian dummy. MTAlphawolf
The System....
Basically the whole school knew of this method; I think it was developed over the years and passed on by older siblings/friends. Surely the teachers must've known, but it's hard to catch.
On a multiple choice quiz with A, B, C or D for answers, kids would gently rest or tap fingers on the desk to represent the answer, you know as if they are just pondering. One finger for A, two for B, three for C and four for D. Then was a system to say which question you were asking for, which was to grab, pull, stretch or crack your fingers.
Fist closed or complete open was 0, left thumb to pinky was 1-5, right thumb to pinky was 6-10, but 10 was ignored. You'd do the first digit twice and the second once.
You'd only really ask people around you for odd questions and hope they give you the right answer, but for SATs when we were about 16 this was potentially effective for improved guessing on questions you didn't know. snaynay
Wrong Gen...
I was told about a kid in my niece's nursing program. Kid had a smart watch where he could access data from his phone. Prior to the tests he'd put all of the data he needed where he could scroll through it on his watch.
During the final the Teacher asked for all phones to be turned off or you'll get a failing grade.
Someone was texting the kid during the exam, the watch the started making noises and the teacher realized he has been cheating all semester long.
No idea what happened to the kid. This must have been when the Gen1 Apple Watches & Samsung devices came out. pklam
Just Blow....
GiphyThe guy sitting next to me during an exam had a cold the same day it began. He hid his notes between the folds of his handkerchief just a few layers away from the snot. He held it openly throughout the entire test, confident that the teachers won't dare to touch the snot filled fabric. slockins101
Bravo Gents.
GiphyI had a couple of students teach themselves sign language so they could sign "A, B, C or D" to each other. I caught on and made a test with an "E" option and made sure many answers were E. This made them create a new symbol on the fly.
I then started making two versions of the test and making sure they each had the different test from each other. This essentially solved it, but they started signing the questions to each other. I never confronted them because I was too impressed that they were teaching themselves sign language. They both got B's in my class. Ol_Man_Rambles
"focus"
GiphyI had a spelling test in the third grade. We were told to spell the word "focus" and at the time I was using a Focus brand pencil with the brand name along the side of it. Thought I was going to jail for sure. LeluWater
Scribblers....
We had to make a math test on our laptop. All other programs needed to be closed and there were 2 teachers surveilling.
My classmate installed some program so his friend could take over his computer without it being obvious. The classmate scribbled on his paper like he was doing the math and his friend looked up the answers and filled them in. When one of the surveilling teachers neared my classmate would move his cursor so his friend would know not to fill in the answer until he moved his cursor again.
My man won the game. He got an A. CopyrightRachel
On the skin...
I have dermotographia. It is a rare skin disease, harmless, but sometimes annoying. Basically that everything i scratch into my skin stays for around 15 minutes before fading. One time we had a substitute teacher so i wrote down some answers for the test. He busted me, but i just denied that it was there. By the time the principle came along it had all disappeared. SlamClam
GOOODDD!!!!!
In middle school a girl who bullied me constantly all but shoved her head in front of my face during a math quiz. When I glanced at her and saw her eyes fixed on my paper she looked at me and went I'M NOT EVEN LOOKING AT YOUR TEST OH MY GOOODDDD!!!!
And proceeded to get highly upset when I covered my paper the rest of the time. maximumovarize
"3x5"
GiphyMy favorite is still the student who noticed that the syllabus allowed for a "3x5 crib sheet" and didn't mention any units, so she created a 3 foot by five foot poster will all her notes on it. The professor let it stand because she was right, he hadn't specified 3x5 inches. astrakhan42
Hey Professor....
College professor told us about a kid who came in to his office crying the week of finals and telling him about how his grandparents were killed in a car accident and he wouldn't be able to take the final because the funeral was on the same day. Professor was a nice dude - he consoles this kid and tries to cheer him up and tells him not to worry about the final.
A little later in the day, the professor is feeling bad and decides to try to get in touch with the guys parents to offer his condolences. He calls the parents, who have no clue what he's talking about.
Professor ended up calling the kid back to his office and calling student affairs up right then and there to report him for cheating. I believe the kid made a zero on the final. jonahvsthewhale
5 minutes after the test started...
back in college, in math tests we needed a specific sheet of paper where the math problems were supposed to be solve, so everybody had an empty one that they had to fill up and turn in when they were done,
So pretty much all the students brought the whole exam written down in an extra paper, since the professor gave the same one every semester, and just write all the problems from the cheat paper, of course hidden in a bag or under the table, to the clean one over the table.
so all cool, but this absolute imbecile brought the full cheat paper, swap the clean one with the completed cheat paper, and turned in the test...
5 minutes after the test started...
the teacher lost it, everyone fails the test instantly, pretty sure they stoned that dude afterwards. adrianinked
Can't help.... in latin?
College latin final. A girl I went to high school with sits next to me. She was a year older, a cheerleader, and we were in a club together back then. We knew each other but not well. At that moment, she looked panicked.
She was visibly shaking, pale, and really hung over. She grabbed my arm, leaned in really close, and in a shaky voice asked me to help. Before I could process what was happening, she scooted closer and said she would do anything.
That last word drawn out in a way that I think was supposed to be sexy but in her state came out like a crack hoochie begging for a dollar.
All I could do was shake my head slowly and say "sorry."
Not because I wouldn't give her the answers. I would have done that without her begging or the implied sex (which I wouldn't have done).
I didn't study either and failed myself. Rmanager
Periodically....
In 8th grade I cheated a couple of times.
First was on a state capital test. I literally asked my friend next to me what several state capitals were and he told me. The teacher was right in front of both of us the whole time. Literally standing in front of my desk. We did not whisper. She was a bit clueless...
Second was on the periodic table. We sat at those three person lab tables and I was in the middle. I had a copy of the periodic table on my lap. The two girls on either side of me kept staring at my lap. The teacher noticed the staring and made a joking comment about what could be so distracting about my lap. The girls both turned beet red and stopped looking. Teacher did not think to check any further and I aced the test. chalmun74
Here... just cheat guys...
GiphyI had a teacher once who just didn't give a crap. One day we had an exam where he was the supervisor, and some student asked him something about a question. He didn't know the answer, so he just asked the rest of the class to give the right answer. After that, he just asked us to tell the following couple of answers as well, so that we all could go home earlier, as he had more stuff to do.
Unsurprisingly, he doesn't work there anymore. TJBullz
People Describe The Teachers Who Completely Changed Their Life
Teachers are a vital part of childrens' development, both because they teach them facts and because they teach them how to be good people.
Sometimes that education happens in the classroom, and sometimes it comes in the form of sage wisdom or a but if extra help shared one on one.
Reddit user Zimthegoblin asked:
"People who had a teacher change their life, who was your teacher and what did they do?"
When I was about to graduate high school, I got a really competitive scholarship to study language abroad. Once I went to apply for a passport, it became clear that I didn't actually have a birth certificate or a social identification number-- basically had no proof that I was a citizen. My parents had lost one, never filed for the other, and were completely unconcerned about the situation. Zero f**ks given, especially because they didn't want to me study anyway.
My high school biology teacher, who had written several of my recommendations and who had encouraged me to apply for this 'out of my league' program in the first place, took care of it within two weeks. I don't actually know what he filed or who he called or how much he paid. But I was on a plane about a month later and I have only him to thank.
Not traditional teacher but the head instructor of the martial art I currently practice and teach.
I had already joined the gym as a student, with my wife (ex now but she actually was the one that talked me into it). I was enjoying my time there, but not really feeling very fulfilled by it. One of the reasons was that I was, IMO, too old to start (27).
One random day my wife and him were the only ones left at the school and he offered to take us to lunch. Was just casual but conversation turned to how I felt we were too old to ever get to his level of skill.
He asked us when we thought he started training. I guessed 7. He told me 35.
He told me the story of how he always wanted to pursue martial arts. As a teen there was nothing near him. In his 20's he thought he was too old too. There was a studio in his town and he drove by it every day on his way to work wishing he started.
Well, he moved a few times, finally settling in a place he would live for the majority of his life. Lo and behold, he passed another school every day for work. He told me he remembered at age 30 passing the school wishing he had just started a few years earlier when he moved to this town.
He kept that job for years. Then he told me at age 35, on the same route home from work, he passed the school and he remembered wishing he had just stopped in when he was 30. He hit the next stoplight and had a 'lightbulb' moment..
"If I keep this job, 5 years from now, I'm going to be sitting at this light, and wishing I started at 35."
He immediately did a u-turn, and went into the gym and signed up. 18 years later he ran his own school.
It inspired me that it wasn't too late, and I became a teacher myself as a result of that conversation.
A teacher once found that I was writing notes about sex in my notebook and passing it to my friends. Instead of getting me in trouble, she took me aside and found out I was seeing lots of stuff at home that I shouldn't have been. My parents were going through a split and there was a lot of turmoil in my life and no support. Thanks Mrs. Marchetti.
My year 11 home room teacher - Miss Dobra. High school was difficult for me, I lacked drive and direction. My home life was a mess and I had the weight of my parents wasted high school years projected onto me. I was battling anxiety, depression, binge eating and felt completely rudderless.
Miss Dobra was always there for me to talk to. She knew I had potential and she didn't shy away from encouraging me to apply myself, but she was always there for me to talk to. She never judged.
Fast forward two years, I finish high school but I don't sit all of my university entrance exams. I'm ashamed but I make a point of going back to the school once a year to see her - despite now also being homeless. She still doesn't judge. Three years later, my life has turned around and I sit my exams and begin university as a mature age student.
She was so happy for me. It took me five years to complete my degree but unfortunately she moved interstate part way through and we lost contact. I wish I had the opportunity to show her my certificate. She'd be proud.
Her love and faith in me has spurred me on in so many endeavours since I finished school. Graduating university was just the tip of the iceberg. I will never forget her. She's the closest thing I have ever had to a guardian angel. Teachers can truly make a difference in a kid's life. ❤️
I asked my music teacher why she wanted to be a high-school music teacher. She said it was the best way to continue to learn and buy new instruments without having to sing nursery rhymes all day (implying that a highschool teacher was a better prospect than a primary school teacher). I said on the offhand that singing nursery rhymes all day would be amazing and she responded- do it then.. be a childrens music teacher.
And so i changed my plans after graduation from nursing to teaching. And love singing nursery rhymes with my students! My previous music teacher now plays in a rock band in festivals all over the world and is such a f---ing badass. Thanks Woody. You were honestly the best teacher and shaped me to be the person I am today.
My primary school principal. Right before my teen years I started acting out due to family/home problems. No matter how many times I acted out, he treated me with absolute kindness, always above and beyond. I can't remember what I did to get sent to his office, but I'll never forget what he told me: "The best man you can be is a gentleman".
He encouraged my love for writing and drawing, helped me submit a story and was there when I won second place. When I failed maths, he tutored me in his office after school. When I showed interest in music, he let me practise on his guitar. I am forever in his debt for making me the person I am.
Struggled with eating disorders in high school. Senior year my dad passed away and I spiraled. Had a meltdown in the middle of my English class. Teacher pulled me out into the hallway, gave me a hug and said “are you eating?” Idk why but it snapped me out of it and that is the first time I realized people noticed or cared. She probably doesn’t know this but I’m sure she saved my life.
He actually believed in me. Most of my teachers before didn't care and didn't form the connection with their students that he did. I came in after a week out with the flu and he gave me an entire packet he made just so I wouldn't fall behind. We talked often of video games.
My kindergarten teacher saw me struggle with spelling the word together. She told me to spell it To-get-her. I'm in my 40s and still spell it like that.
My German teacher made me realise that I was being bullied by a boy. I thought he just didn’t like me. She talked with me and made me realise that the things that he said to me were not okay.
Teachers truly have the power to transform children's lives.
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What is crossing the line of education for kids? Are there some things that are better kept from our kids or should we teach them everything?
There are a few very different schools of thought on this topic, with one side vehemently believing kids have a right to know everything; another side arguing scaffolding of knowledge; and another side in favor of withholding knowledge altogether.
However, nobody can agree on this. That's what makes the debate so interesting--literally nobody can agree.
Redditor billymybraggs asked:
What should we stop teaching young children?
Imperfections
"That adults are infallible. My wife and I freely admit to our kid if we've done something wrong or were mistaken, and try to teach him to behave the same. He's only 4 so it's hard because he's still learning even the concept of fallibility, but I'm pretty sure it's helping."
New Nutrition
"Unhealthy relationships with food. Noticing how our relationship with food is covertly communicated to our children. Labeling food as purely "good" or "bad". Forcing children to eat something they don't want to. Sending the message that "vegetables are gross" and are only to be enjoyed through bribery. (Obviously excluding the instances in which children just don't eat.)"
Learning You Were Wrong
"To be ashamed when they're wrong. People should be thrilled to learned they're wrong because it's an opportunity to learn. Instead we shame politicians who 'flip flop' on issues, even if they switch their opinions from something like man/woman marriage to a stance of gay rights support."
"Then we wonder why people straight up deny they're wrong even when you pile a mountain of evidence in front of their dumb faces."
Listening To Our Bodies
"They have to keep eating even when they're full. This isn't about picky eaters or whatever, this is about schools forcing kids to eat ALL of their lunch despite not physically being able to. It's not a healthy mindset."
"Edit since I see people confused: I've personally had to deal with this policy in different schools in both the USA and in Japan. You've probably never encountered this if your school had a buffet or cafeteria style."
Once Again, Remember You Are Worth It
"That they shouldn't ask questions and that adults are always right. I remember growing up and being taught that an adult's words were the truth, and life was so much easier when I discovered that a grown-up was just as capable of being full of it as a child was. Be respectful, but don't blindly accept what's handed to you."
Blood Of The Covenant
"You should never hate anyone in your family."
"If a certain family member did you wrong, never repented, never apologized, never tried to make things right, would gladly fuck you over again and has done so on multiple occasion, you should be free to detest him as much as you like."
"But no, because we are blood-related, that somehow completely erases what he's done."
Good Thoughts
"That ugly = bad/evil. I partially blame TV animation for this one though. Old, ugly, fat or serious looking people are almost always the villains. This often makes kids fear elderly people and make unfair connections between appearance and personality."
Uncomfortability
"That genitals are rude and we shouldn't speak about them. They are private but they aren't rude. We need to teach children correct names for body parts including genitals."
"Also, getting children to be able to verbalize feeling uncomfortable and learning how they feel when they are uncomfortable can be beneficial in stopping grooming in its tracks. Groomers often start with lingering touches that can be easily explained away, but if the child can articulate how the touch made them feel it can help adults to protect children."
Failure As A Teaching Tool
"That "losing" is inherently bad and thus failure is unacceptable. Our daughters' age 6-7 tee-ball/coach-pitch softball team refused to let kids get out and also refused to make them use the tee. There were games the coach literally threw balls to the same kid for 15 minutes straight. The coach was scandalized when we insisted our girls take an out after three swings and misses."
"Instead, we teach our kids that the BEST baseball players fail 2/3 of the time."
"To quote MJ: "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.""
Teach NOT To Bully
"I don't know how many schools do this, but I know it happened to me in both primary and high school, and multiple other people I've spoken to about this who live in my state have said this as well (NSW, Aus) but there's something called "Resilience Training" where they gather bullied kids and tell us that the way to prevent being bullied is to stop making ourselves a target, telling us that we have to try harder to fit in, and how ignoring a bully will make them give up rather then crying or running away. It doesn't help, it just made me, and probably other kids too, feel like more of an outcast and put it in my head that I got bullied because I deserved it."
Perhaps we should give a lot of the lessons we teach children a think.
Do you have something you'd like to share? Let us know in the comments below.
This Viral Video Of A Conversation Between A Muslim Girl And Her Non-Muslim Friend Proves That Kids Will Show Us The Way
Ignorance, a true lack of knowledge and understanding, is the root of much of the fear and hate in the world. People are often afraid of what they don't understand.
One way to overcome this is by making a real effort to learn from one another.
A video from Channel 4 that first went viral on Facebook, and again more recently on Twitter, demonstrated this perfectly.
The video is part of a promotional campaign for Channel 4's series How The Other Kids Live.
The series puts kids from vastly different backgrounds together for play dates so that they can learn about each others' families and cultures.
The viral video features Yasmin, a Muslim girl, and Brendan, a Catholic boy, as they learn about the differences and similarities in their religions and the way their families live.
One interaction between the two really stands out. While Brendan is visiting Yasmin's house, Yasmin says that she is Muslim and, after a second, Brendan asks "What's a Muslim?"
Yasmin responds:
"When you celebrate the same stuff but in a different way."
“When you can celebrate the same stuff but in a different way” Kids are so pure man https://t.co/ZWF9885pNY— tars (@tars) 1558017537
While Brendan spends time with Yasmin and her family, he learns a lot about their way of life.
He sees her family pray, and gets to ask questions. It is these kind of questions, asked from a place of innocent curiosity, that allow children to learn and accept others
His questions aren't eloquent, but Brendan is making a real effort to learn and understand. Encouraging this kind of free exchange of knowledge and information is the idea behind the series.
Another clip shows Yasmin answering more of Brendan's questions.
@biscottibae https://t.co/7o9DUGIVHp— tars (@tars) 1558018546
Twitter thought the two kids were adorable, and inspiring.
@krasiwayah Aww! The end when he got emotional because the experience was finished 😭☺️ bless him!— ADWOA ADU 🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭 (@ADWOA ADU 🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭) 1558082067
@krasiwayah @biscottibae His heart is so pure!!! https://t.co/rEBTyqhKta— 🇰🇳🇯🇲Small Island Gyal, 🇮🇪Ireland Gyal (@🇰🇳🇯🇲Small Island Gyal, 🇮🇪Ireland Gyal) 1558095365
@krasiwayah @wokeeth @biscottibae This is why kids need to be around kids of other backgrounds. Periodt.— Lady Cesarean (@Lady Cesarean) 1558089615
@krasiwayah My heart 😭 mashallah kids are so innocent. There’s no judgement just pure interest and intrigue ☺️❤️— Maeve (@Maeve) 1558032906
@krasiwayah When she said “We believe in same thing, just different” I felt that 🙌🏼 Girl is smart and when asked wh… https://t.co/NVROyAWnvb— GOD AURA. 🦂 (@GOD AURA. 🦂) 1558077563
They also loved Brendan's curiosity.
@PrettyyCookie @krasiwayah That’s what I loved too. And his questions were so sincere!— Sy Smith (@Sy Smith) 1558125832
@parisianteal @AmayaJordan2 @krasiwayah kids ask the weirdest questions. im polish and i’ve been asked some interes… https://t.co/Y2jVtNPLMg— 💔⚔️Kat/Kasia⚔️💔 (@💔⚔️Kat/Kasia⚔️💔) 1558291772
@krasiwayah This is so beautiful, at least the lil guy is learning— àugust (@àugust) 1558031915
There were a few shoutouts to Brendan's mom for the gentle correction too.
@krasiwayah The woman’s reaction to his mistake in saying ‘Muslim toys’ is the exact kind of unproblematic correcti… https://t.co/sKDgVCUaFR— Eliza🙃 (@Eliza🙃) 1558390483
Kids don't have to be eloquent or understand all of the nuances of a discussion right away—that comes after they understand the basics.
As it turns out, the kids really are all right.