DEAR HARRIETTE: My 17-year-old daughter recently posted a picture of herself on Instagram. She was so excited because the photos were from a concert where her favorite band performed.
Related Articles
Advice |
Harriette Cole: A teen in my care has fallen for a boy with a bad reputation
Advice |
Harriette Cole: I just got a promotion, and now I’m keeping a big secret
Advice |
Harriette Cole: I get uptight when I work out with my boyfriend’s clients
Advice |
Harriette Cole: I didn’t expect this reaction to my nose job. What do I do now?
Advice |
Harriette Cole: I saw my old friend’s stand-up routine on TikTok. It was about me.
Someone she thought was her friend took a screenshot of that photo and used it in an incredibly hurtful way: She posted the picture on a private Snapchat story and cruelly made fun of my daughter, calling her ugly and encouraging others to laugh at her.
When my daughter found out, she was devastated.
She’s always been pretty confident, but this has really shaken her. It’s hard enough being a teenager these days with all the pressures of social media, body image and fitting in, and to have someone she trusted turn around and publicly humiliate her like this is just too much.
Should I try to intervene and speak to this girl’s parents or reach out to the school to see if there’s anything they can do? My daughter doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it because she’s embarrassed, but I can’t just stand by and do nothing.
— Cyber Hazing
DEAR CYBER HAZING: You cannot fix this, so stand down for now. You don’t want to risk further embarrassment for your daughter.
Support her from the sidelines by explaining that some people are mean-spirited, like this person she thought was a friend. Your daughter should walk away from her. She has proven to be a bad friend. As much as it hurts, she should ignore her and make the effort to live her life and build new friendships.
If the girl continues to bully her, encourage your daughter to speak to the principal, and offer to help if she takes that step.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m 67 years old, and recently my 19-year-old cat passed away. I was sad about her death, but I came to terms with it more easily than I had expected.
My husband and I recently became empty-nesters, and with the passing of our cat, we have no responsibilities other than looking after ourselves. …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
