Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic MySpace Hoax Leads To Child Suicide.

The biggest thing that comes to mind when viewing this thread (and I'm not trying to offend anyone) is the phrase, "Everyone knows what to do with the neighbor's kids."

I think people have hit on a lot of important things here so I am not going to repeat anything (or at least I hope not) but here are my $0.02:

It's so hard isn't it to have people learn how to respect themselves and others? To give them that self confidence and that empathy?

Self confidence that you will do your best as parent and that the good that you can do is enough. Self confidence to perhaps be hurt by what others say but to believe in yourself enough to withstand it. Empathy enough to understand or imagine what it must be like for others. Respect enough to know what you should and should not do to others. Respect enough for yourself so that you act in a way that is true to yourself that allows others to see what is good about you, that you conduct yourself properly.

I met someone the other day and it struck me that for someone so outgoing he has no confidence in himself and it's going to tear him and his marriage apart bit by bit. And he can see how much more confident than him I am and now I don't wonder that nice though he is, he doesn't want to be around me anymore. I remind him too much of what he wants to be but what he won't let himself be. What I wonder about the woman who planned this account thing is: didn't her parents teach her to respect others? Is she incapable of imagining herself in that position - of having empathy for others? Does she have no respect for herself, her parents or others? I feel concerned for herself and those around her because what kind of person will her child grow up to be without those skills if her mother doesn't seem to have them? And what about that child's child?

What makes me afraid and sad is that potential for more tragedy to occur down the line. But it is such a hard thing to teach respect for yourself and others. So now I am more confused than when I started reading this post - so I hope some of that made sense.

As for Megan, whatever she believed in and wherever she is now, I hope she is at least happy. Comfortable, loved and secure in the knowledge that her parents whatever said and done, did and still do love her.

And please feel free to disagree with me. ;-)

Cheers, The Little Tornado.