Most of us use social media to express ourselves, keep up with family and friends, and see what’s going on in the wider world. However, some people use social media to spread ideas and opinions that are hurtful to others. A comment that starts off as a joke can be picked up and taken out of context, becoming hurtful to others and reflecting badly on ourselves. The song “Growing Pains” is about learning from our mistakes and moving forward with understanding and compassion.
Key lines: Try to mend what’s left of my content incomprehension / As I take on the stress of the mess that I’ve made / Don’t know if I even care for “grown” / If it’s just alone / And I guess the bad can get better / Gotta be wrong before it’s right / Every happy phrase engraved in my mind / I’ve always been a go-getter / There’s truth in every word I write / But still the growing pains, growing pains / They’re keeping me up at night
Questions: What, if any, difference is there between teasing and bullying? How do you draw the line between the two? Is there a line? When have you inadvertently stepped over the line? How did you make something hurtful right? How do teasing and bullying words impact you or people you know?