How Can I Support My Son When Teammates Use Hurtful Language?

- User Submitted

We have another really serious question, Dr. Skinner. And this question says, two of my son's teammates told him to kill himself. He won't tell his coaches because he's afraid of retaliation. How do I help? Um, I am sorry, but we're going to talk with your coach. Um, that's inappropriate behavior. And if there are consequences, there are gonna be consequences because I don't care who they are. I don't care if the're stars of the team, somebody who says that, uh, that is in a very inappropriate. And so I know your child doesn't want to. Um, but I would be proactive as a parent and say, I'm, I'm gonna take it there. I'm gonna talk with the coach. I might do it anonymously, but, um, I, I would say we are going to talk about this because it's not, okay. So I might send a message to coach if nothing happens, I, I, and maybe, maybe my child will be pointed out, but it needs to be done. Because if it's not, then that chi, those, those other two, get away from it. You should never tell anybody they should kill themself. I I would hate to be one of those two who said that and somebody actually did it and try to live with myself. If you, if you, if you wanna create a, a so society where we are so socially, internally focused, where we don't see our influence on other people, this is where we take a stand. There's certain things we just have to take a stand on us. I know your child's concerned, but that kind of, if, if a coach accepts that, then my child shouldn't be on that kind of a team. And I know I'm pretty blunt on this, but I'm, I'm simply gonna say there are certain things that are never acceptable and life is over way more important than any sport, than anything else. My child matters. We're gonna talk about this. I'll go to the, I'll go to your coach. I want you to come with me, but we're gonna deal with this. We're not gonna sit on this one.

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Dr. Kevin Skinner