The anon post about possible abuse made me want to tell you about a recent event. I'm in charge of a writing contest at our grade/middle school, and last week we were reading the entries. There were three "poems" submitted by 7th grade boys that were very disturbing to us. One spoke of wanting to kill himself, another was just dark and depressing, and the third described watching his drunk father shoot himself in the face. Well, we were all pretty shocked (some of the judges were teachers) and we decided the best thing to do was to alert the principal because, as one teacher said, it's probably nothing but if something happened and we had done nothing we'd feel terrible. The principal talked to the boys and decided it was just their age and being dramatic, but at least it's on record, so to speak. We live in strange times and you just have to try to find help for the kids who need it.

By Bellajoe on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 02:53 pm:

That is very disturbing. It was a very good idea to go to the principal about it. As they say "its better to be safe, than sorry"

By Palmbchprincess on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 02:54 pm:

I'm not really familiar with the thinking of boys that age, but I would say that isn't "just their age, and being dramatic". That seems like either a cry for help, or kids being punks IMO. At least you did your part by reporting it...

By Coopaveryben on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 03:06 pm:

Did the principal notify the parents? Just curious, If my child had written something like that I would want to know even if it turned out to be their idea of a joke. Children that age are so intense, their minds are just really starting to open up and explore they can be really interesting and really frustrating.

By Texannie on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 03:06 pm:

I am glad you reported it, but I remember writing Emily Dickenson type poems in high school with no intentions of suicide.

By Janet on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 03:36 pm:

Texannie, that was the problem. I hate to "squelch" any creative juices, but on the other hand... I also got very introspective and dramatic at that age, so it's not totally unheard of. I don't know if the principal notified the parents, but I would also like to know if it were my child.

By Texannie on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 06:27 pm:

I think you did absolutely the right thing, and I would want to know as a parent, but I also know that my diary would have flipped my parents out and they would have sent me to the shrink.

By Janet on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 09:52 am:

LOL Mine too! Oh, weren't we the tortured teenagers!