How do you deal with annoying people at school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid has full permission to punch another kid in the face if needed. We have been hitting the heavy bag in the garage since he was like 7.

Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.

-Mike Tyson

[Anonymous]

1. Nougies
2. Wedgies
3. Swirlies
4. Brown swirlies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you deal with obnoxious kids who constantly brag about their achievements—especially when they’re clearly doing it just to look good on college applications?
My DC is pretty laid-back, but somehow school peers found some of his activities online and started mocking him with comments like “that’s nothing” or “I’m better than you,” etc.
It’s frustrating, and these behaviors seem especially prevalent in certain groups.

This sounds like a rich, private school problem.

No, sounds like the opposite: a suburban public with a lot of Asian families,


the kids at top privates don't load up on extracurriculars and honestly there is very little talk about college among the kids at all. a huge number of families don't care that much because it doesn't matter where their kid goes to college: they are stepping into jobs due to connections, etc. I've seen it play out several times. money gives the ability to not care: send that kid to Amherst to study English or Brown to study Peace Studies or Wharton for business or SMU for business. none of it matters to these kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you deal with obnoxious kids who constantly brag about their achievements—especially when they’re clearly doing it just to look good on college applications?
My DC is pretty laid-back, but somehow school peers found some of his activities online and started mocking him with comments like “that’s nothing” or “I’m better than you,” etc.
It’s frustrating, and these behaviors seem especially prevalent in certain groups.

This sounds like a rich, private school problem.

No, sounds like the opposite: a suburban public with a lot of Asian families,


the kids at top privates don't load up on extracurriculars and honestly there is very little talk about college among the kids at all. a huge number of families don't care that much because it doesn't matter where their kid goes to college: they are stepping into jobs due to connections, etc. I've seen it play out several times. money gives the ability to not care: send that kid to Amherst to study English or Brown to study Peace Studies or Wharton for business or SMU for business. none of it matters to these kids.

As a private school parent I have no idea what you are talking about. There definitely is a contingent of kids like that (our school has some super rich kids going to some fairly random colleges that I can never figure out). But that is only a small percentage. Agree that there is less public competition at private schools, but there are lots of very motivated kids at these schools whose parents are spending a lot of money and want to be able to brag at their cocktail parties about where Snowflake is going, and often their connections at certain schools only go so far. But most (but not all) of these kids also have enough class and aren't first gen strivers so they know not to be jerks about it.

Note that I hedged on a lot of what I wrote - I generally belief this but there are lots of exceptions to every rule before everyone gets angry at me and cites the one kid they know who is an exception.

[Anonymous]

Take it from someone who faced this not only from other kids but teachers as well. They thought my kid was nothing, they scoffed at him. I literally supported my kid through all this by saying “ignore them. You just need to go to a 4 year college” for which my kid applied to a rolling admissions school. Got the kid hyped up about it. The narc teacher assumed that was all kid was going to get into and sent their flying monkeys to do even more damage. I remember that day in January when my kid got into Michigan. Right after he went to a club where the teacher showed up and that was the worst day of bullying. I received several texts about the bullying and all Ivssid was — who cares, you are going to Michigan. Then RD decisions were released and my kid was admitted to a few HYPMS. Ha! The only kid from school who was admitted to all 3. What helped — learning to ignore awful people and focusing on your own growth. Trust me, it’s worth it!

[Anonymous]

All I said*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you deal with obnoxious kids who constantly brag about their achievements—especially when they’re clearly doing it just to look good on college applications?
My DC is pretty laid-back, but somehow school peers found some of his activities online and started mocking him with comments like “that’s nothing” or “I’m better than you,” etc.
It’s frustrating, and these behaviors seem especially prevalent in certain groups.

You deal the same as with any other type of bullying. Report it to school.

Schools do nothing, especially if the teacher is the bully.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you deal with obnoxious kids who constantly brag about their achievements—especially when they’re clearly doing it just to look good on college applications?
My DC is pretty laid-back, but somehow school peers found some of his activities online and started mocking him with comments like “that’s nothing” or “I’m better than you,” etc.
It’s frustrating, and these behaviors seem especially prevalent in certain groups.

They seem like losers.

[Anonymous]

Make the best of it and count the days until your kid is done and moved on to college and away from these losers.

[Anonymous]

Mock them for being virgins, which they clearly are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to let it go like your kid has. The kids sound like jerks but if your son is not bothered by it you really need to learn to just let it roll off your shoulders too. Don't make it worse for him by getting so upset over it.
- Coming from someone who easily lets things roll off my back with a mother who is the opposite. She often created more stress for me than the situation I was meant to be upset about.

lol. I could have written this part myself.

Thankfully, our kids seem pretty unbothered by other kids’ opinions.

They recognize that some kids are jerks, and they try to avoid them.

But they also have dealt with friends being jerks sometimes. Thats harder. But one thing we talk about at home is that part of being in a relationship (friends or family) is giving each other a little grace sometimes … but then speaking up and clearing the air if it ever becomes too much.

And … even harder still, they’ve also been the jerks themselves from time to time, saying things impulsively or defensively that weren’t ok. Part of growing up is learning to recognize that, apologize, and do better going forward.

My overall advice: If the jerks aren’t your kid’s friends, encourage your kid to ignore it. And you should, too. Same goes for fellow parents and strangers offering unsolicited jerky opinions.

Speaking of which, here’s one of my favorite perspectives on the topic:

Opinions are like belly buttons. Everyone has one. Nothing special.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you deal with obnoxious kids who constantly brag about their achievements—especially when they’re clearly doing it just to look good on college applications?
My DC is pretty laid-back, but somehow school peers found some of his activities online and started mocking him with comments like “that’s nothing” or “I’m better than you,” etc.
It’s frustrating, and these behaviors seem especially prevalent in certain groups.

You deal the same as with any other type of bullying. Report it to school.

Schools do nothing, especially if the teacher is the bully.

Then contact a lawyer if the school does nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they mocking him online or in person to his face? My answers would be different.

Not to his face, but behind him. Wild that some high school kids and families enjoy collecting each other’s GPAs and activities and then ranking and stacking everyone.

You are describing DCUM to a T. It’s bizarre behavior.

[Anonymous]

No amount of education will make up for a small mind and a bleak soul.

[Anonymous]

...so ignore them.