Yeah I had guys try to pick on me, I stood up for myself, I didnt care how big you were. Did i get beat up sure but I always fought back. I remeber fighting a guy who was at least 1 1/2 feet taller then me in Jr High when was physically picking on me. I gained a lot of respect from that, I literally had to jump to hit him. What did I do came back from it stronger. I was the smallest kid (some times by quite a bit) in my class virtually every year until I was a Junior in HS.
Kids are being rasied as babies. Parents cant stop bullies. I can picture it now, Jimmy that was mean what you said to make that girl kill herself. Now go to your room for a time out. When the kid gets to his room he gets on his computer, plays his PS/xbox/etc...
I learned to be tough as a kid as some other said by playing outside. I had Atari but played maybe 2-3 hours a week. Many kids can do that in half a day. I didnt get sympathy from my parents when I did something stupid and got hurt. I remember riding back from the BMX type track with my dad with road rash on every inch of exposed skin after I didnt listen and started from the very top of the hill, couldnt make the turn and hit a 5' jump to the street landing half way across it and slid to the curb. Todays parents would have called 911. Got all kinds of pain killers for the kid.
