"If your child is being teased in the playground - don't worry, it's good for building character. New research has found playful teasing, and being called names such as "ranga" [short for Orangutan. South Australian slang for a redhead], could be good for young people because it helps them bond and develop social skills. It may even make "victims" more likely to take on leadership roles in the long term.
Dr Erin Heerey, of the University of Bangor in North Wales, studied a group of university students in California and found that their "playful humiliations" led to them becoming better friends, The Daily Telegraph reports. [Any army man could have told him that] Dr Heerey said playground teasing was a normal part of school life and should not be stopped by politically correct teachers. She said: "Teasing helps children to discover how to use their bodies, voices and faces to communicate nuances of meaning." The findings are echoed by child psychologist Kimberley O'Brien, from Sydney's Quirky Kids Clinic, who said teasing helped kids learn not to take themselves too seriously. "They learn how to respond to playful criticism ... that can be useful in later life," she said, adding that teased kids could end up in leadership roles - and became strong enough to come back with witty comments. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
