Rude And Hateful Kids...

Handicapped... - Handicapped...
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
May 8, 2008 8:17am CST
The other day I was at Walmarts and there was a woman in her early 20’s who spoke in such a way that you could tell that she was somewhat mentally retarded. There were also 2 girls about 11 that were making fun of her. The one came over to the clerk helping me and in an imitation of the handicapped girl’s voice (though very exaggerated) she asked where the Pepsi was…her friend kept poking her telling her to quit and that they were going to get in trouble. I refrained from smacking the one in the mouth but gave her that look letting her know I’d like nothing more. They ran off laughing and mimicking the handicapped girl anyways. I was always taught that you don’t make fun of ppl that have problems. That you treat them with respect the same way you would anyone else. I’ve also encouraged my Niece and Nephew to behave the right way. Maybe I should have said something though that would have drawn more attention to the problems of the handicapped girl. Would you have said something? What would you do if you caught your kids acting this way? **AT PEACE WITHIN** ~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
25 people like this
73 responses
@kykidd (6812)
• United States
8 May 08
My mother probably would have beat me silly. Even though I don't have any kids, I can't imagine my nieces or nephews acting this way. They just know better....but a lot of kids today are rude and it makes you wonder what the world is going to be like 20 or 30 years from now. I would have just given them a look, just as you did.
2 people like this
• United States
9 May 08
I agree. There are so many parents out there not teaching their kids common decency anymore. I would have been knocked into next week for doing something like that.
2 people like this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
8 May 08
I am pretty sure that if I had kids they would know better than to act that way, as they would already have put in quite a few hours of mandatory volunteer work that would have exposed them to all sorts of people and they would have done it side by side with me watching and making sure they got the message. But I suppose if it did happen and they got caught doing it, I would make them write and publish online a series of articles about different aspects of handicapped living and how people ought to act. There is absolutely no excuse for children or anyone else ridiculing other people for things that are beyond people's control. If what you describe happened to me and I knew who the girls were I would have told their parents, but in these times, it is a sad fact that some of the parents do not even want to know.
2 people like this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
8 May 08
My son would be in so much trouble if he did that! I do not stand for my son - or anyone around me - making fun of people.
2 people like this
• United States
8 May 08
i have never been known for keeping my big mouth closed i would have truly given them a piece of my mind!
2 people like this
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
8 May 08
That's is exactly rude and very disrespectful!We can tell right away how parents were in their kids, lack of discipline. If ever I will encounter kids who will treat anyone like that, I will just do same as what you did!I will give them a stare that will give them an idea that what they are doing is not proper especially if I don't know the kids, but, if ever I know the kids and the parents were my close friends, I will be talking to them and let them realize how lucky they are to be normal and they should treat others correctly! But, I know a lot of kids are like them in our society today, maybe parents are too busy and they have enormous time to discuss values to their kids! Sad, because they will grow up living in that way and treating others as to what they want too!
2 people like this
@tyc415 (5706)
• United States
8 May 08
Makes you wonder if their parents would have said something to them if they had seen them or if they learned this at home from their parents. I think I might have said something to them since it would have angered me so badly. As for my kids, thank God they were all born healthy, but I have a cousin who gave birth to a child who has ceberal palsy and also when my children were young we worked with the ceberal palsy enrichment center here so they got to see first hand what challenges some people and families go through so if I ever caught any of them behaving this way they would have been in so much trouble.
2 people like this
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
14 May 08
OMG---- that makes me so mad! it's time like this that I would have wanted to speak to their parents- and just say just exactly what have you taught your children? How sad that they pick on the less fortunate. I know it happens- I see it too. it makes me sick! My friend has a son who is a little slow. If my daughter ever acted that way- She wouldn't see daylight for a long time- (I'd send her to her room). My daughter is 11- and she is great around kids less fortunate-- she knows better- I raised her that way! I would have said something ~ I know I would have.... makes me mad--- It was a perfect teaching moment to show these girls how fortunate they are to be born with no problems!
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
8 May 08
My ex-husband's neice had a blood capillary defect that made her look like she had been burned. Luckily it was not on her face. But she was always stared at and her mother frequently was asked questions, some of which were unkind. I dont understand why people dont teach their children better. It is not hard, what is wrong with the kids and their parents these days. I am sad to think of how some of these people act. They had better pray that nothing happens to disfigure them physically or mentally. Then they will suddenly see things from the other side.
1 person likes this
@jimbomuso (950)
28 May 08
hi Twoey68 ! when I read your post I couldn't help but feel for that lady. why is that pulling/putting people down is such a major thrill for people! Your totally right that you should treat people the way in which you would like to be treated! if I had kids an I caught them doing something like that I'd probably go off the deep end, but I'd probably ground them for a week and explain that what they were doing is a form of bullying/abuse! they'd hate me for it but they'd learn.(and probably blame me for their therapy bills when they hit 30!)
• Australia
28 May 08
My children are going to be raised to respect every person, regardless of their disabilities. It just seems the right way to raise them. Disable, or otherly-abled people as I like to call them, might be different to the mainstream person, but we can learn so much from them and can help them to get on in the world, even if it is just us treating them as we would our other peers. With these girls, I probably would have said something. I would have said to them that not everyone is able to be like them, and that is a good thing, because if everyone was rude and ignorant, then our world would be gone within a few years. I would have told them they could learn so much from the other lady and that their behaviour would suggest that they wanted to break free from the 'sheep herd' and be as individual without caring as the other lady was. Jealousy is often what rules young girls like this, as well as fear of the unknown, which is in part due to the way they have been raised. Fear and ignorance of others brings our own quality of life down. It also shows just how self centred we humans really can be. If my children were caught behaving like that, I would be taking them to visit the special schools and care facilities so that they could learn about the differences and see the struggles our otherabled citizens face everyday.
@Deea48 (1166)
• United States
8 May 08
My children learned early on that was not exceptable behavior. I took them with my to the nursing home for visits, plus they had a Auntie who was challenged because she had a stroke. I think I would of said something to those girls. To many young people are not getting the basic in proper behavior I think. But then I meet one who is helpful, bright, and would never behave like those girls and it restores my faith in young people. Good discussion.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
8 May 08
Yes I think that I would as I hate seeing handicapped people of any sort being mocked or ridculed by anyone of any age.No child of mine would ever do this and if they did they darned well would never do it again. I taught my son at a very early age to respect all people all the time.
@Gollywog (1092)
8 May 08
Im glad you refranied from slapping the girl! She would have been more abusive and called the police! These badly behaved children learn from their parents and family? Parents dont spend enough time talking to there children they just shout at them and never listen! These children take there anger and frustration out on any one in there path? They just want to hurt others like they hurt. I might sound like Im preaching, but I was a special needs teacher before I retired and I have seen a lot of sorrow with these children????
1 person likes this
@jaclyng (19)
• United States
8 May 08
I tend to speak up in situations like that...I have that nothing stuns and shuts a person up more than just simply telling them that "you are being very rude". They don't generally have a comeback for that. 1.) They can't deny it and 2.) People are usually shocked stupid when someone calls them on their behavior.
1 person likes this
@cyberfluf (4996)
• Netherlands
11 May 08
I had an internship on a school with a group of children aged about 10/11 years old. They were going to have a lunch in a lunchroom runned by mentally handicapped people. It's a great initiative and these people are so friendly and do so well, I was committed to have these kids do their best. The teacher that was supporting me was very positive about my idea of a social skills class for the kids before we went their. I read the kids a poem I wrote about someone with a balance impairment on a trycicle who was affraid to ride it because she would be laughed at. The kids thought it was such a sad story. I asked them who it was about. There was some quiet time, and after a while they realized the story was about me. "But miss, you aren't weird" they said. "Nope, and so aren't other people. Mentally or physically handicapped'. A long discussion followed and we did some roleplay on how to do well socializing with handicapped people and what things you shouldn't do. The kids behaved very well in the lunchroom. To my regret 3 out of 24 of the kids did smear soap on the mirrors in the bathroom (out of our sight) and didn't listen to the mentally challenged girl trying to warn them. They had something coming for them; they had to apologize and were grounded for 3 weeks during schoolbreaks. Their parents were informed and they had to write a report on how this would have made them feel, and how the girl must have felt while they did this. Afterwards they felt pretty bad. "I wasn't thinking" they said. The last thing is the main problem; these kids aren't thinking. They don't know or care about how people feel when they make fun of them. Training social skills can really help. 21 of the 24 kids did make an effort, one girl actually bent over to say "These people are so sweet, they even put spongebob noodles in our soup! I must come back here sometime with my parents..."
@mbs730 (2147)
• Canada
11 May 08
Thats just awful. My daughter is only 6 and she knows to not make fun of anyone and I would never stand for that. The girl may have been cognitively impaired but you never know, she may have understood more than one would think! My son is under the autism spectrum and he is extremely smart but socially behind. He is only 4 and is getting a lot of therapy but I can't help but worry about other kids rejecting him or making fun of him because he may appear "odd" and that could end up hurting his self esteem. He is progressing well and I hope to get him mainstreamed by grade 1 but he'll always be under the spectrum. But yeah I agree, how can parents allow their kids to poke fun at anyone who has a difference like that?? Then again the sad thing is, I know of plenty adults who have made fun of handicapped people or anyone with a "difference".. sad but true.
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
11 May 08
That's horrible. My kids aren't perfect, and showed it one day in a grocery store. A little person walked by with his items, my youngest was 4-5 at the time, she pointed and said your little. OMG, after my embarrisment wore off, I was mad. I took both my kids aside, I didn't care if anyone heard me or not. I explained to my youngest, that what she did was wrong and if I EVER hear her say something like that again, it would be her butt. Then I turned to my oldest and said she should be ashamed for laughing at the comment because she knew better than to laugh. Then I said to my youngest, how would she feel if someone made fun of her height, she's short for her age. She started crying and said it would hurt, right then and there it dawned on her what she did to that man. She's never made a comment about anyone different again, and she's seen other little people, people with handicaps. My oldest hasn't either. They know now that I will NOT tolerate this type of behaviour, that everyone is treated with respect.
• United States
12 May 08
my children no better and if they even attepmted to make fun of someone they would be in so much trouble. i would have told those girls it was not nice to make fun of someone and that they shouldnt do it. but those girls learn that from an adult. ive seen and heard my share of adults calling mentaly ill people all kinds of names, and thats just sad because no one asks to be normal or not normal, so why should anyone make fun of anyone!
@jonesy123 (3948)
• United States
12 May 08
They already knew it wasn't right. The look you shot them reiterated that as well. Kids that age make fun of others in order to make themselves feel better. If it would have been one of my children, I would have reprimanded them and explained why it is wrong. However, with strangers children you cannot do much. In fact, in my experience, if a parent is around, THEY get defensive because their angel can't do any harm.
• United States
12 May 08
i dont think u should ever make fun of people there is always a reason y they do what they do even if ur not mentally retarded. sadly i'm 16 and more mature then my step mom who makes fun and judges people everywhere she goes not to mention shes major b*tch. but i think u shouldve slapped them so hard they wouldnt even kno their own name lol.