[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

[quote=Marguerite;760178]It's not really the point of whether she knew what she was doing or not. I agree, the fact she used a noose to hang herself shows she understood what exactly it was that she was doing. It doesn't mean that she could fully process what exactly it meant in the long term and what the consequences would be. I don't mean she didn't understand she would die... I just mean that ten year olds are illogical and irrational by nature. Did she weigh up what it would mean for her family and decide to put her self first? Maybe, maybe not. Even if she did it's not something at least I as a ten year old could have fully comprehended.

Originally Posted by Marguerite

All I'm saying is that it's fine to take that line with adults (suicide is selfish and you're purposely hurting your family if you do it) but to take the same line with children is probably not worth it because ten year olds are, well, ten year olds. If a ten year old kicked me in the leg I would have a completely different reaction from if an adult kicked me because I know that ten year olds are as I said, illogical, irrational... and kind of dumb by adult standards.

All people regardless of age are illogical and irrational to varying degrees. A 10 year old can intentionally kick you in the leg in order to hurt you and supposing they succeed, you wouldn't react? It's not a terribly complex thought, even as simple as, "kick girl's leg, girl say ouch, I say yay". Granted I'm not going to react violently to a 10 year old kicking my leg, unless it's a 6 ft 3 freakishly strong and violent 10 year old but they don't make them like that very often.

Originally Posted by Marguerite

Also, at ten I thought about suicide a lot. And I also thought about how my family and friends would feel if I killed myself. That was usually the point, to kill myself and imagine how everyone would react if I did. It was usually a reaction to you don't care/you did this/why do you act like.... you would feel bad if I died. And while I thought about intentionally causing pain like that to my friends and family, I loved them and if I could have fully understood the pain that losing a child or childhood friend would have caused them I wouldn't have even thought about it. But ten year olds don't think like that.

If 10 years olds don't think like that, then why did you think like that at 10 years old?

Originally Posted by Marguerite

Even if she did it's not something at least I as a ten year old could have fully comprehended.

But you just said you could comprehend it... .

Originally Posted by Marguerite

This was a girl who went to school, had friends, had family, probably had after school activities and what not... so how did nobody realise (or why did nobody care) that this was a very sick little girl and get her some help? Particularly with regards to the school which she spent a couple of hours a day with different adults who are trained to notice these things.

Some people can be very effective at hiding their emotions but I cant imagine your average 10 year old doing that, hell some adults cant. In some ways, it is unfortunate her behaviour wasn't spotted earlier but there's only so much information a short article can give, so it's entirely possible someone (i.e. a teacher) did notice and tried to help. When something so drastic happens, people want to save face, so they're not going to admit a teacher(s) tried to help because that implies other teachers who interacted with the girl were dumber than a door and may even lead to asking why the teachers who were aware did not try to do more. I think by stating everyone was equally unaware, it takes blame off of their shoulders and allows one to accuse the girl of hiding her emotions too much. Chances are it's not true, or at least I hope it isn't for that school.

Originally Posted by Marguerite

See, this is my problem. Calling a ten year old a 'coward' or 'weak' is kind of redundant. I don't understand why you're pushing adult expecations on this kid.

So you don't think the 10 year old was a coward for backing out of life over schoolyard bullying?