Reply to When teaching empathy and mental health in middle schools gives them ideas

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Really OP?  Teaching kids about empathy is somehow bad?  Do you think we shouldn't teach them about charity too?  Maybe we shouldn't tell them about suicide or poverty or sexual abuse because it will "give them ideas".

It's amazing to me that somebody could criticize a program that is teaching our children how to be better human beings.  I've got news for you about your anecdotal example of self-harm:  nobody would engage in self-harm unless they were feeling pretty damn awful.  Nobody will keep a child from learning about self-harm unless the kids are locked in a basement with no contact with the outside world.  You cannot protect your children from information and the thought that this information gives them harmful ideas is ludicrous.[/quote]

Your irrationally hostile reaction to this question suggests perhaps that you are in need of some mental health counseling.

Teens are impressionable. The way this stuff is messaged is important. I'm suggesting that perhaps the messaging is off, not that it shouldn't be taught at all. [/quote]

+100
OP, I feel similarly to you.  On the one hand, I do think kids need to be taught about these issues and what to do should they (or a friend) need help.  On the other hand, there are plenty of impressionable (and silly) tweens/teens who love the idea of manufactured drama.  They are being given a gold mine with which to practice when introduced to issues they wouldn't have given a second thought about previously.  I'm not sure what the answer is here.

And I fully expected an indignant poster, like the PP, to show up and tell you off.  How predictable.  You can't even have a conversation without someone like that becoming needlessly hostile and argumentative.   :roll: [/quote]

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