Did you get made fun of when you were in school?

by doodle-v 34 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  cruzanheart

  Oh, yeah, it was BAD. The teachers in "my day" were just as bad, if not worse, than the kids. By the time I entered high school it was a little better because we were entering the hippie era of peace, love and tolerance, so I was a little more accepted for who I was (but I still rolled my skirts up after Dad dropped me off). It was still hard, though, and I had VERY undeveloped social skills. Part of my problem was that my mom had railroaded me into school a year early (I was born in December) because she thought I was so smart, so I was younger than everyone else. And then, when we moved to St. Croix, the private school I went to thought I'd be better off academically in 6th grade instead of 5th grade, so they skipped me. Now I was two years younger than everyone else, which really made life difficult emotionally. Add the JW stuff to that, and you have one incredibly shy, tongue-tied little girl.

  I noticed a big change in tolerance when our children started school. We had a couple of irritating teachers, both in Kindergarten, but the rest of them have been wonderful. However, when we declared ourselves Witness-Free, we noticed a big change in Jennie. Instead of walking into school with shoulders bowed, or crying and simply refusing to leave the car or turn me loose, she now walks with confidence, greets everyone as equals, has LOTS of friends, and is a part of everything we can get her into. I LOVE IT!!!! Her teacher and the school counselor noticed it too.

  Nina
• 

  run dont walk

  I think all of us went through this at some time in our life during our school years.

  How we all made it, is a miracle in itself. Was it worth it ????? (to all parents out there lurking)

  I really liked your comment at the end "but i never ever ever want my kids to go through what i did. *sigh*"

  Makes you question,

  How many people in the JW borg (who can't get out), are not going to have kids, because they do not want to bring them up the way they were brought up.

  I find it amazing it my family alone 5 brother/sisters only 2 grandkids.

  In my whole family let's say roughly 25 cousins related, only 7 kids from those 25.

  Has the Watchtower/parents (can't blame it all on the Watchtower) scared people so much, that there is no way they will have children of their own ???????

  I gave this experience before, someone I knew when I was 18 was pregnant by her JW boyfriend, and they were so scared and did not want to embarass her dad the BIG elder, they went the abortion route. How sad !!!!!!!!!!!
• 

  pamkw

  Yep, school was awful. Sixth grade was also a bad time for me. I was a short, red headed, freckled girl with a strange religion. And we were dirt poor. I remember my only defense in 6th grade was to be angry all the time. I developed a very bad temper. When I was in 3rd grade a kid kicked me in the stomach on the play ground because I did not salute the flag. He said his father said I was trash because of my religion. And I heard the be proud you are being persecuted for God. It didn't make it feel any better. I always wanted to be normal, and like everyone else. In high school I was the only jw, was a very small school (about 100 in the student body). I wanted to die more than once when I was a teenager.

  Pam
• 

  Scully

  Didn't anybody else get called a "Jehovah's Shitness"??
• 

  Mulan

  If you mean because I was a JW, no. Different times I guess. I don't remember being picked on for anything. I was pretty well liked, and smart too. I got called Teacher's Pet a lot in grade school, but I didn't mind that.
• 

  dannyboy

  I can't add anything much that hasn't already been said, except for:

  Sometimes I made the mistake of mentioning some of the "picking-on" I got at school to my dad, and he'd berate me for not "handling it right" (not giving a good enough "witness" to the other kids), and demand that I do so-and-so the next day at school.....(e.g.: confronting the other kids, complaining to the teachers/administration; standing up for "Jehovah")....so in adddition to being picked on/belittled/criticized/ostracized at school (I was the only Witness kid for almost all my public school years), I had to take it at home, too. No, he never once understood how very hard it was to be different.

  I dealt with it by "stretching" to my dad and by trying to remember to keep stuff to myself...... Then, too I dealt with it by resolving NEVER TO HAVE A KID who would have to go through what I went through..........

  Like Minimus asked in recent thread: "Were you screwed up by being a Witness?"....Answer: YES

  Lurkers note: Even though it's been decades since these events, I can still remember it like it was yesterday. And before you start thinking I never "made the truth my own", read my bio sketch (click on my name).

  ---Dan
• 

  DFWnonJW

  Suprisingly I didn't get picked on as much as most witness kids seem to have been. I was just as shy, quiet and reserved (hey, no different from now!) but I was pretty damn good at sports The other kids seemed to have more pity for me than anything I think. Teachers gave me hell though. I gave in one day after being threatened for not saying the pledge and I felt sick after I had done it. That's one of the worst things - as a jw kid you're caught in the middle and each side (parents/WT v. teachers/etc.) tries to force you to comply with THEIR views.
• 

  teenyuck

  Jehovah Witless

  Jehovah Shitless

  JeHoBo Witness

  My first grade teacher hated me for being a JW and not saluting the flag. I spent many mornings in the coat room. She took me to the principals office one day when I had to go to the bathroom. The principal said I didn't have to salute the flag. She was really nasty to me after that. For years I saw her in the halls and she always snarled at me.

  In middle school and high school, I was picked on. The worst offender lived down the street and was a notorious bully. At our 10 year graduation he apologized for being so hateful! That was a surprise!
• 

  doodle-v

  I was a short, red headed, freckled girl with a strange religion. And we were dirt poor. I remember my only defense in 6th grade was to be angry all the time.

  Pamw- I can definately relate.. my only defense was to retreat into my own world of books... i read voraciously...... that was my only escape. Lunch time at school was horrible because no one would sit next to me. I would sit down at a table and everyone would get up and move. Being 11 i went through my ugly stage.. I was very skinny and bow-legged, and i had nappy hair. Sixth grade was when i caught the chicken pox. When i came back from being sick i had scabs all over my face and everyone would play "you've got (insert my name here) germs" kind of like tag, your it. A lot of people get made fun of, not just JW's but the main thing was i couldnt defend myself ( i was supposed to turn the other cheek) or make friends (because they were worldy), or play sports, or get involved in any school function. How can you properly interact with anyone with so many social restrictions? Especially at such a critical developmental stage in ones life? We were constantly told to be no part of the world if i wasnt a JW i would have been able to have some friends and learn how to fight back. .

  Scully- all i can say is - wow, shame on them, why are kids so mean?

  I get angry because i know a God of love would not want innocent children to go through hell.
• 

  Thunder Rider

  Sure did, but never by the same kid twice!