They’re just playing around
- Tags: adult minimization, body shaming, duty of care, physical harassment, trauma
Setting
It was recess in the playground of a neighborhood school. The ground had the prints of many, many sneakers and the adults watched from afar, but it seemed that their attention floated more than being fixed on the children. Some benches and corners were secret routes for those who wanted to avoid the noise. The air brought laughter and shouts – some of joy, some that hurt.
Situation
Throughout elementary school, you were pushed, hit and insulted about your body. The cruel nicknames were repeated every day. The blows and taunts left marks on your skin and your spirits. Your mother asked the principal for help, but he played it down: “They’re kids, they’re just playing”. Nothing changed; the bullying continued, the laughter hurt, and the pushing and shoving returned. The adults kept quiet and you learned to avoid the playground and keep silent. What they called “a stage” became a wound that was hard to heal.
Key dialogue
– “They call us names and hit us on the playground every day.”
– “Don’t exaggerate, they are playing.”
– “If it hurts and humiliates us, it’s not a game.”
Rewrite the story
If you were a parent, guardian or boss, how do you break the minimization and protect already? Design:
1. now (72 h): incident and witness log, recess safety plan (zones and accompaniment), formal written notice, daily follow-up.
2. Remediation: optional restorative meeting with trauma-informed mediation; verifiable agreements and consequences for recidivism.
Structural (30 days): visible anti-bullying protocol, real supervision in “blind spots”, teacher training in “no play”, body-positive education and confidential channel for students.
Roles at the table: student narrator, aggressor leader, follower, passive witness, mother, minimizing principal, ally tutor.