Why are our Children Cutting?

Any parent’s worst nightmare is finding out your child is cutting themselves. I say child and not teenager. Cutting is not just a teenage problem, but younger and younger children are starting the craze. How young? I know ten-year old girls that have been cutting themselves.

Parents….we must be aware that this may be happening in your home and with your own children. No child is protected from this horrible situation. It happens to children from poor family environments to affluent families. The epidemic does not discriminate. It has no prejudice. It is happening more and more each day.

Ten years old is about 5th grade – 6th grade aged peers. Seriously? What does a 10-year-old have to stress about, you ask? But they do. It is sad, but real. Peer pressure plays a heavy part in it. Other factors may apply; such as a sense of social media, isolation, pressures to be perfect, and depression.

Parents….read and look at your children’s text messages, e-mails, SnapChats, InstaGram, Kik, ect. Don’t think that your child does not fall into this category of “cutting”. It is happening and in our media. Children have too many resources to connect with people who they think “care” and are there to listen to their insecurities and fears. When you are 10 years old or 11 years old, you trust people who seem to care. But in reality , who are these people our children our connecting with and talking to about their utmost secrets and insecurities? They pretend to be their friends, their peers, their same age groups, but really? Who really knows who is sitting behind that text message or computer typing words of endearments and concern….it may be the pedophile on the Amber Alert.

It is wrong to say the least, but we as parents, can not pretend it doesn’t exist…it does exist and we must put a stop to it. Parents…if you find that your child is using their phones, computers, and iPods inappropriately…take them away. We lived without this technology and they can live without it too. It isn’t worth the price of losing our children to this epidemic of cutting to “technology”, or even worst, suicide.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi

Copyright:  September 23, 2017

Excerpt from Manuscript – Snow

The girl who was wearing all black was staring at her. She didn’t want to look over at her, but she could feel the heaviness of her glare boring down on her. She sensed the girl was trying to get her attention, but January was lost in between the lyrics of the band screaming from the radio and the shouting she heard in the other room.

She decided to look her way, “Do you know when they will be out of the bedroom?”

“Who knows. They made a big score tonight…could be a while.”

“A score?” January didn’t know what this girl was talking about.

“Speed, of course.” The girl casually replied.

January was shocked. “Did you see Jack go into the room. He must have gone out for more beer.”

“Jack is the cute guy with longish, shoulder length hair and black eye-liner?”

“Yes, he’s my boyfriend, but he doesn’t use drugs, so I’m sure he must have slipped out when I didn’t notice.”

“No, he’s in there. I saw him and the tall, skinny guy go in together.”

The room started to spin…January wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the loud music or the distaste of her dinner rising up and into her throat, but she felt as if she was going to be sick.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright June 1, 2016