Certainly, your story serves to teach parents everywhere that communication with their children is not optional but mandatory. Children should be encouraged to share their innermost feelings on a consistent basis. By showing them unfeigned interest in every aspect of their lives, you will be instilling in them an unshakeable trust in you, as well as the belief that you, their parents, are there for them unconditionally.
And in this way you will gain the upper hand in fending off the long-range effects of any mental and emotional torment children can be so susceptible to. As research reveals, symptoms victims of bullying may display many years down the line range from low self-esteem and aggression to anger-management issues and difficulty in trusting others.
How apropos that we find ourselves celebrating Lag B’Omer this week! One of its lessons, weaned from the tragedy that befell the 25,000 students of Rabi Akiva and that ceased on the 33rd day of the Omer, highlights the importance of respecting one another and the consequences of sinas chinam – baseless hatred.
Thank you for sharing and hatzlocha in raising your boys to be ehrliche, upstanding men who will do you proud.
