kid screaming

[Kiwibird]

It's a shame the authorities and the parents refuse to address it. Psychological abuse is every bit as harmful as physical. I don't like to bring this up very often, but while I didn't have any siblings I got it from the kids at school terribly. Just like this poor kid, NO ONE EVER stepped in to stop it for me either. Trust me, it may seem like "not such a big deal" now, but that kind of chronic abuse will follow him the rest of his life. Unless someone steps in to tell the other children to stop, it won't, it will only escalate as they get bigger/stronger. I've struggled since my early teens with self harm, severe anxiety and major trust issues. It's not nice to feel isolated, alone and like you have to fend for yourself as a young child while any sense of pride or self worth is systematically chipped away from you. And while you *may* be able, as an adult, to learn to function, it never leaves you and you never feel like a whole person. I also know another kid (well, grown man now) who was the 'baby' of the family and got tortured by his older siblings, some "out of public view" abuse by a parent, and now he's in jail facing very serious charges because after enough time, he lost his moral compass an impulse control to be able to differentiate so easily between right and wrong.

I feel really bad for this kid, I really really do. The authorities can turn the blind eye now while these kids still have a chance to blossom in a structured, loving environment (whether that be the parents shaping up or being removed from the home), but give it 12/13 years when these kids become teens and the criminal and/or self destructive behavior starts.... It won't be so easy to ignore or change then!

 

[Minimaker]

This is all so sad to read about. What about leaving an anonymous note typed up on the computer somewhere when they're away stating the obvious? If they get a note about the older children picking on the youngest child maybe they'll think long and hard about how the community sees their parenting skills and try to address the older children's behavior a little more. I'd add the above comment about the long term damage tormenting and bullying causes in the long run. They won't be able to prove who did it, although they may have suspicions. There won't be a thing they could actually do or say about it but they will know someone's watching them not doing their job as parents. That alone might shame them into acting on behalf of their youngest child.

 

[Birdman666]

It's a shame the authorities and the parents refuse to address it. Psychological abuse is every bit as harmful as physical.

Yeah, well, they don't even address physical abuse all that well...

and even then, the policy is for "reconciliation" wherever possible.

"Child Welfare" is sometimes one of those "army intelligence" kind of terms...

But it's like social triage. You take the ones who are bleeding profusely first.

What prevents it isn't government intervention.

It's prevented by parents loving their kids and looking out for them...

Which actually, most of us still do.

BUT WHEN THEY DON'T YOU END UP WITH THESE KIDS...

 

[Delfin]

This is what the Authorities say "it's the pecking order within the family unit which is normal and it's something most normal families do. In fact any animal that's within a social group will have a pecking order of various levels.

I give up. time to move on to more productive means. loud music when the screaming starts.