Letter: Still up to us

Two years ago, I moved my family to Naples hoping for a happy new life in the sun. My younger daughter, then 11 years old, struggled to cope with the transition and loss of her friends.

She had been in a special-needs program in England, and her new teachers here did an excellent job in helping her to settle. However, she has been picked on relentlessly by the boys at school about her accent, and laughed at and teased because we have an unfortunate last name.

My daughter has a cyst on her brain that affects her balance so she cannot do any sporting activities. She is also behind academically and constantly striving to keep up. All of this restricts her ability to find a peer group and accentuates her isolation.

She was always a happy, sunny child, but her personality is changing due to the constant stress of dealing with the teasing and name-calling. It breaks my heart to see her losing confidence and dreading Monday mornings.

There’s only so much a school can do to deal with bullying — teachers can’t be everywhere all the time.

Raising a child who has compassion, understanding and empathy is the job of parents.

Please teach your children to consider the consequences of their words and actions. They could be responsible for making another child’s life a misery.

Nina Mold/Naples