Nicknames

40 years ago, I was given a nickname. It was not unusual for my peers to have and to use nicknames, but, although it was not especially unkind, I found it embarrassing and unpleasant.

I was reminded of this reading through 'a site for children/teenagers who are scared of school for various reasons, or anyone who has been affected by the fear of school'. One of the people who run the site, Lisa, suffered bullying at school with her peers chanting her nickname.

Scared-of-school.webs.com is a well laid out site with a forum and chat room. How well the latter is used, I cannot say, but this may well be a place for our children and young people to go when they are looking for peer support.

One of the problems they face is the loss of contact with their friends. At Scared-of-school.webs.com there is a chance they might build new relationships with people who can help.

Of course, we need to be careful that other users are who they say they are, and normal safety rules for using network sites must apply.

That nickname? Walking along a street last year with friends, I saw a beggar, who recognised me, and called out to me using my nickname! Ouch!