Yeah, there is a wide, weird and very fuzzy line around bullying that I didn’t even know how to bring up without rambling about different qualifiers for several paragraphs.

We all have a weird growing-up phase where we’re still learning to socialize, where we learn where the lines are between being the center of attention smartass who always says shocking things and makes his friends laugh, and being some kind of sociopath who doesn’t care about the feelings of others. We need to understand that everyone has different kinds of development and different kinds of peer-groups. I have met countless people, men and women, who regret their behavior as children, but also, would they have the healthier perspectives and respect for others now if they didn’t mess up and realize they were hurting others? Almost impossible to say.

Really what people need most growing up in this period is involved and healthy parents who can give advice with how to deal with problematic peers, how to have self-esteem and do the weird, often painful social dance of school and social life as a kid and teen.

In a half century of life or so, I think I’ve met maybe one or two families who have this level of involvement and shared engagement and support.