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23.11.2012 |
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Some words of advice by Claire Rosemary Jane - author of children's books
On being taller than all the other girls, during your school years As a children's author, I spend a lot of my time talking with children, and it has been my privilege to go into schools in both England and America to talk to them on many occasions. Mostly, I am there to talk about writing in general, and my own writing in particular. But sometimes I get the opportunity to speak at the school assembly on a subject of my own choosing. By now, I have been into many different types of schools, and as a result have met children from many different backgrounds. I meet children from different races, different class backgrounds, different cultures and different religions. Some are from large inner-city schools, some from tiny schools deep in the heart of the country. But there is one thing that all children have in common, they need to be able to talk about their own particular worries and fears to someone who is both prepared to listen and who understands. And there is one subject about which I will talk above all others when the opportunity arises, it is the subject of bullying and harassment. I believe that no one should ever be victimised for something which is not of their own choosing. For example, no one can help the way that they are born, whether they are born into a rich or a poor family, born in a rich or poor country, or what colour skin they are born with. Neither can they choose whether they are going to to be fat or thin, or short or tall, or able-bodied or disabled. I do not remember my own schooldays as being happy ones. For I myself know what it is like to be teased unmercifully, bullied and victimised. I love to learn, and actually did well at school, but I hated it nonetheless. Fortunately my own particular situation never got totally out of hand, and I was able to mostly cope with it. I offered to write this article because of having read about Morgan Musson, the girl from Nottingham, England, on this particular website, who almost certainly took her own life as a result of being tormented because she was taller than all the other girls. SHE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN MADE TO FEEL LIKE THIS. It actually took me some years to adjust to the idea that tall is good. I used to have a friend who would say to me, if I stooped a little, "Head up, Claire, shoulders back! Be proud of your height!" In fact as a result of being told about this particular website, I had to come to the conclusion that I am actually not all that tall! Taller than average maybe, but then who wants to be "average"? Being a little different from someone else ought to be something to be celebrated, not condemned. So, girls, in your tens and teens, if you are tall, be proud of your height. Don't let anybody make fun of you just because you're taller than most of the other girls. Look at some of the comments made by tall girls on this website. (I particularly liked the response from the tall girl who when asked if she played basketball, answered "No, do you play miniature golf?" And if you get really desperate, for goodness sake TALK TO SOMEONE. And remember that one of the joys of the internet is that you can always find other people in a similar situation to yourself. You can often even write to them via e-mail asking for advice. Just make sure that you heed the usual warnings about not giving your full name, or your address or telephone number to strangers, and do not ever arrange to meet someone whom you do not know, on your own. You could in fact, providing you're a child or teenager, e-mail me. And this applies just as much to the boys who may end up reading this as the girls. Just bear in mind that you may not get all that quick an answer from me, for I receive many e-mails throughout the year from all around the world. You will find my e-mail address on every page of my website. Claire Rosemary Jane
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