Bullying is a word that sends shivers down the spine of any parent. Like many of us, I can still remember the name of my school bully, still remember the way he would spit out my name, still remember being pushed to asphalt and humiliated in front of my friends.
Of course, we don't want our children to be subject to bullying, but, neither do we want our children to be bullies. As much as we might like our offspring to be leaders or achievers, we know that the workplaces of the future will require them to value teamwork, to collaborate and to understand different cultures.
So, it was a rude shock when my child's teacher indicated that she had been reported for bullying another student. I know my young one has faults, but bullying didn't seem in her nature.
It transpired that the incident was not like the bullying of my childhood: it happened online (a case of what we imprecisely call cyberbullying). Apparently, an e-mail had been written, asking what some fellow students thought of one child in particular, with the answer to be expressed by either putting a cross next to a like, or dislike caption.
On the one hand, my daughter was wrong to do what she did. Talking about others behind their backs and ranking them might well be the stuff of any playground. But, it's still harsh and unfair. Seeing it in print made it look a lot worse than overhearing it in conversation.
That said, when a child does this, aren't they just remixing what popular culture is presenting them? The Facebook 'like' button (and other social media sharing devices) are encouraging us to pass judgment on people all day, every day, as a form of entertainment.