The Jewish Home | MAY 5, 2022
100
teen talk
by Daniella Quinn
Dear Teen Talk, I really like your column. One column recently talked about cliques and bullying.
Teen Talk ,
a new colum n in TJH, is ge ared towards th e teens in our com munity. A nswered b rotating ro ya ster of tea chers, reb clinicians beim, , and peers (!), teens w hearing a ill be nswers to many que stions they had percolatin g in their minds and wishe d they ha d the answ ers for.
It struck home because I know that sometimes my group makes fun of other people, and it makes me uncomfortable. Maybe we’ll see a girl walk into class and one girl in my group will make a snide comment about her clothes or her knapsack and then we’ll all laugh or make more not-nice comments or quips. I know that what we’re doing is not nice, and even though I’m laughing on the outside, on the inside, I feel very uncomfortable and gross when I think about what we’re doing. I’m not strong enough to tell the others to stop making their comments. And I still want to hang out with my group of friends.
2
OctOber 29, 2015 | the Jewish Home
What should I do?
I
want to start off by telling you that you are not the first to have found yourself in such a situation and definitely will not be the last. It’s very easy for us to find ourselves in relationships that are comfortable but not necessarily healthy to be in. This is not to say that these girls are bad people, but they may not be the best people for you to surround yourself with. However, with what you have shared, it sounds like you know all of this and are up to the point of deciding “what am I supposed to
do?” which may just be where the hard part comes in. When I received this letter, the first thought that came to mind was a lesson I was given on the purpose of friendships. A friend is someone who is meant to be supportive, someone who helps in your personal growth, and someone who you are there for as well. This does not mean that your friends are only there to have DMCs
with or to run to for support whenever there is a problem. A friend is someone who brings positivity into your life and that positivity can come from having fun with them as well; it’s not just about the serious stuff. I understand why you would still want them in your life, not only because dropping them would hurt, but because it feels like there is good to hold onto in the relationship.
