He’s always wore sketchers. Like since he was 4. Recently, he got really emotionally taking about shoes he wanted for middle school. He said if he doesn’t get Nikes he’s going to get teased. Great fucking marketing work Nike.

    • @JigglySackles@lemmy.world
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      117 minutes ago

      Why would they be a shit parent for doing something so simple? The shoes aren’t that much more expensive unless they are talking like some limited edition nonsense. They don’t need to go that far, but just getting some brand name thing to avoid bullying is an easy thing.

      Sounds like you’d be a shit parent if you had kids. “I can’t be arsed to help stop your getting bullied because it costs me a few dollars more.”

      Certainly there are other lessons to be had here about standing up for oneself and not letting peer pressure dictate your life, but spending a few dollars for brand name sneakers is not something to call people shit parents over.

    • @Scott_of_the_Arctic@lemmy.world
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      97 hours ago

      Bullying like that can be extremely traumatic for kids. Yeah it’s a shit situation, but I understand why they wouldn’t want to deal with it. kids are generally shitty people in middle school and use any excuse to bully each other. You basically have 3 choices 1) give in and get the thing, 2) let them get bullied for the rest of middle school, 3) harden them to the point where the other kids are fucking terrified of them.

      • @Bloomcole@lemmy.world
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        16 hours ago

        As if parents and schools can’t intervene.
        Shouldn’t those 2 groups specificallybe trying to educate children to do better?

        • @Scott_of_the_Arctic@lemmy.world
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          05 hours ago

          It doesn’t really matter if the schools do. And the bully’s parents are where they get it from. Kids don’t care about branding unless they’re instructed to do so by their families. I was bullied by a guy for years at school. Several adults tried to intervene, but it only stopped after I embedded a knife in the wall next to his head from across the room. Bullies like a reaction unless they think there’s a legitimate chance you’ll snap and murder them. Unfortunately that’s not advice you can pass to your children.

          • @Bloomcole@lemmy.world
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            15 hours ago

            I believe there’s plenty that can be done.
            And it may get the kids to react.
            Maybe not with a knife but bullies aren’t generally very tough anyway when confronted.

        • @UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml
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          05 hours ago

          I always find anti bullying measures kind of a waste of time. Adults will bully you way more, it just isn’t a swirly.

          it’s making you fill out an application on a job prospects website even though the info is on the resume.

          It’s every month when we pay rent.

          It’s every paycheck we receive that doesn’t include our surplus labor value.

          It’s a overdraft fee from your bank.

          It’s ComcastXfinity purchasing your local government and ensuring you have no alternatives for an ISP.

          It’s the “unprecedented call volume” you wait through that happens because the customer service phone line is purposely understaffed.

          It’s your health insurance denying your claim.

          It’s everywhere. Just because we hide it behind a curtain of the economic system doesn’t mean it changes the nature of these interactions.

          If you want your kid to be successful, they should be a bully. Bullies are successful as fuck. Every parent should be teaching their child to be the biggest asshole douchebag bully ever.

        • @Wazowski@lemmy.world
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          7 hours ago

          I grew up with a tenuous grasp on the middle class and generally don’t buy much premium shit, despite being able to afford a life of luxury. My most expensive shoes are a $100 pair I wear with a suit. The shoes I wear most days are $25. You’re just an asshole, is all.

          • @Trainguyrom@reddthat.com
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            13 hours ago

            Your feet deserve better shoes than that. The old adage goes, never cheap out on anything that goes between you and the ground - tires, shoes and beds are all worth buying a bit more up market than you usually might

          • @Bloomcole@lemmy.world
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            17 hours ago

            Yes, not giving in to toxic bullying for having less money makes you an asshole, right.
            What if another parent doesn’t even have the choice to give in bcs they can’t afford it? too bad for the kid right?
            You’re the POS here.

          • @pleaaaaaze@lemmings.world
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            7 hours ago

            I’m the asshole? Lmao you Litterally think bullying is all right and normal

            Fighting one bully at a time by wearing the shoes they want you to wear /s

            • @Wazowski@lemmy.world
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              15 hours ago

              You’re the asshole for passing judgement on people who are trying to protect their kids from circumstances that are unknown to you.

      • @Bloomcole@lemmy.world
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        -26 hours ago

        Who knows if it’s true. Kids can lie/exaggerate when they want stuff.
        If it is true then wtf kind of school is this? I would go have a talk.
        What if some other parent couldn’t afford them? Will he let his kid join the mob mentality and bully him?
        This goes further than shoes.
        Just buying the stuff to get done with it and letting this toxic environment fester is def not the right move.
        But fuck it, I’m not raising his kid.

        • @HereIAm@lemmy.world
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          12 hours ago

          If you think social bullying like this is some kind of rare thing I got some terrible news for you.

          It goes far beyond just having pricey clothing, kids these days are bullied for not spending money in Fortnite. https://partner.sciencenorway.no/bullying-children-and-adolescents-computer-games/fear-being-bullied-children-pay-to-become-popular-in-video-games/2307469

          It’s bad, even in countries like the UK where they have dress codes to try and address it, you’ll still he picked in for not having the right accessories.

        • @Trainguyrom@reddthat.com
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          13 hours ago

          I remember being a target of bullying in middle school. I specifically lobbied the school for months to get an alternative to recess because that’s when the worst of the bullying occurred. I was finally given permission to just chill in an empty classroom during that time and it was a significant improvement.

          If spending a bit more on shoes helps give the kid some confidence it seems like a reasonable step to take. Maybe the kid will learn it was never about the shoes to begin with.

          The fact is, middle school fucking sucks and the most parents can do is try to help their kids survive however they can. I still remember what one parent said to me once “middle school is the lowest circle of hell” and it was exactly what I needed to hear in that moment