How to CHANGE a child’s life who is being bullied
Frankie Hall, Curtis Boyd, Darrell Andrews, Daniel Watson, Jeff Taylor, and Chris Rogersat the Pedal to Metal race at Lee State Park in 2015.
By Danny Watson, City of Darlington Chief of Police
I am 5’10 and weigh about 192 pounds. I am not huge, I am not an Olympic quality athlete but I show up every day. What does this have to do with anything? Well to be honest, when I sat down to write this I truly struggled with what I was going to type. There are a tremendous number of children out there both boys and girls who just do not feel good enough.
It may be a plethora of reasons that they do so but the end result is sadly the same regardless. They don’t feel worthy of those around them. These kids feel as if they are just too different to fit in with others. Children like this become outsiders in school and outsiders in life.
I am a scholar and a runner. I love to read and I am a completely insane runner. I spent several years in the Marines and am a police officer by trade. Currently I serve as the chief of police of a small city in South Carolina. You know what though? Both of my daughters still think that I am a nerd. I read too much and know some of the most bizarre facts that they have no idea how I seem to come up with them.
What does this have to do with anything once more? Everything! You know there is something great about every child and every person. You don’t have to be like everyone else to feel great about whom you are. The men you see in the photo wore tutus for a reason. We are men who stand against bullying. We don’t mind looking a bit different or silly to further the cause of helping all children who feel just a bit different know that they are not alone.
Don’t get me wrong I am not a subscriber to the belief that everyone should get a trophy. Life is less about winning and more so about the struggle. There is a song lyric I remember although I can’t remember what song it came from that says, “Life is a marathon, not a sprint.” We need to spend a lot more time with our youth instilling the qualities of show up, give it all you have, leave everything you have in you out there be it in the classroom, on the playing field, in the workplace or wherever.
The only way that we can really combat bullying is to show those children who are susceptible to it, which it’s ok not to win. It is not ok however, not to try, not to struggle and not to show up because it is easier to give up. It is also not acceptable to give up at the first sign of resistance to what you are trying to achieve. Children will never know the joy of success in school, in sports or in life if they can’t manage the courage to get out there and take a chance. They will also never know the sweet taste of success if they are unwilling to keep at it when they fail, even if it is a spectacular failure.
We need to change the game! Life is a sport and you can “spectate” or you can participate! I am a participator and I encourage those around me to participate as well. It’s great to be a superstar and wow everyone with your prowess in whatever you are good at. It is wonderful though to help those around you to achieve the potential of not feeling alone by reaching out. So, take the time to look around you and be a part of making a child who needs just a little bit more, to be a participator.
Trust me when I say, “When you see the light in the eyes of a child who feels their potential achieved it will change everything for you.” Desire is the fuel that feeds the engine of success. So open your eyes take a chance and be a part of making that a reality for someone who could really use the feeling of someone else’s hand in theirs versus the feeling of someone’s foot on their neck. Help to fuel that engine that may never have had any fuel before. Trust me when I say it is infectious. The time that you take could keep a child from enduring a lifetime of never feeling good enough. It very well could change their life and the world.
Chief Danny Watson MPA FBI NA # 228, Chief of Police for City of Darlington, has been on the Darlington Police Department since 1994 and Chief since 2011.
The News & Press will be sharing updates and opinions from Chief Watson on a regular basis; you can also keep up with the department on their Facebook page: Darlington Police Department.
