Do you agree with the parents of this 6 yr old boy? They had plastic surgery on his ears to stop kids from bullying him.

Sgt Kelli Mays — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 18:51:53 -0400

https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/why-this-6-year-old-got-plastic-surgery-162432642.html

This 6 yr old was picked on a bullied all of the time because of his ears. It was horrible what the other kids would do to him. His parents took him to a plastic surgeon and had the surgeon change his ears so they would not stick out.

I think it's awesome the parents did this for their son.

What do you think? What would you have done?

Why This 6-Year-Old Got Plastic Surgery

Gage Berger told Inside Edition that kids at school picked on him, saying “that I look like an elf and I have weird ears,” he explained. “He just gets really down on himself and he thinks, ‘I’m not good enough,’” his mother, Kallie Berger, told Inside Edition. STORY: Teens Are Getting Back-to-School

Response by SGT John Rauch made Oct 3 at 2015 6:55 PM

SGT John Rauch — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 18:55:20 -0400

just stupid. the boy would have grown into them, how about instilling confidence in your child and teaching him to deal with the problems in life instead of running from them. every kid gets bullied at some point, and normally come out tougher because of it.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2015 6:56 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 18:56:51 -0400

I'm glad his parent's were able to do this for him. You can tell it boosted his self-esteem.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Oct 3 at 2015 6:57 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 18:57:01 -0400

Well children can be extremely cruel to anybody who is different Sgt Kelli Mays. The parents decision to have a plastic surgeon modify the ears of their son Gage Berger was probably motivated out of a deep love for their son and sadness at what he was being put through.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2015 7:00 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 19:00:58 -0400

Plastic surgery for a kid is a pretty goofy thing to consider, but... If he was being bullied over them I can understand. Kids now days can't handle situations like we did. Parents don't instruct the kids to let it slide and not worry about it.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2015 7:44 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 19:44:15 -0400

Well, if the bullies wouldn't stop, and since it seems like its a bigger no no when a bullied kid defends themselves......and obviously the parents of the bullies and the school admin didn't do d*ck, so good on those parents.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Oct 3 at 2015 8:03 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 20:03:59 -0400

Sgt Kelli Mays this is more common than lost people know. Otoplasty is a common surgery in kids

Response by Cpl James Waycasie made Oct 3 at 2015 10:48 PM

Cpl James Waycasie — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 22:48:46 -0400

I think it shows a lot of love for their child, but a real shame they had to do it to get kids to leave him alone.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Oct 3 at 2015 11:12 PM

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 23:12:02 -0400

I think, in cases such as this, corrective surgery was the appropriate step and I believe, put into the same situation, I would have done the same. I believe there is a difference between doing something for you child that would make them happy versus improving that child quality of life and giving them the ability to enjoy that life and be happy. The kids photo says it all!

Response by SSG Robert Webster made Oct 4 at 2015 12:23 AM

SSG Robert Webster — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 00:23:53 -0400

I have read all of the comments up to the point where I am making my statement. The sad part of this is that it does reinforce the bully's ability to be a bully. The bully or bullies should have been punished, just as the bullies that have caused other children to have committed suicide, where they and or their parents have been brought to a court of law and brought to justice for their or their progenies misdeeds. All this does is reinforce the bully and their ilk and shows a major decline in discipline and justice in today's society.

Let's put this in a different light if you will - What a bout the young girl that wants breast reduction surgery, because they are being bullied and threatened with rape? Which action would you take; provide her with an unwarranted breast reduction surgery or have the bully and or parents charged with a crime?

In the case that originated this thread, I would consider it a case of malicious harassment which in a number of cases can be considered as a simple assault. In the case that I described, most of you should already know that what occurred is a form of sexual assault.

In the original case, what happened to the bully and those that allowed it to continue to this point? Where in any of the information provided does it explain what occurred to the authorities that witnessed this or the bully/bullies? And if you did not read the accompanying article (not just viewed the video) please read the rest of the story from another perspective of another (I hope) professional practitioner of the art of plastic surgery.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Oct 4 at 2015 1:11 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 01:11:51 -0400

Sgt Kelli Mays, kids can be terribly cruel, and this has indeed scarred people for life. It is a good thing that the parents did this for him.

Response by SPC Thomas Baldwin made Oct 4 at 2015 3:18 AM

SPC Thomas Baldwin — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 03:18:58 -0400

I have mixed feeling on this one. but bullies are all around and they will find something to pick on. My ears stuck out and I got picked on for it but never let it bother me even the ear flicking.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Oct 7 at 2015 2:45 AM

PO1 John Miller — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 02:45:24 -0400

If it makes the boy feel better and stops the bullying, nobody should judge his parents.

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Oct 13 at 2017 4:59 PM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 16:59:19 -0400

It was great what they did. In some hospital soon after babies are born the get a skull cap and it goes over their ears. For one.. body heat escapes through top of the head and feet. So they get booties too. The cap can serve two purposes. Everything is soft, even bones. The ears have cartilage.. so the skull cap will help
By making the cartilage lay toward the back..

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Jan 14 at 2019 7:27 AM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 07:27:55 -0500

Absolutely.... and I hope that boy.remembers what they did for him,
When he is a grown young man !

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Jan 14 at 2019 9:28 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 21:28:06 -0500

Sgt Kelli Mays My daddy had a similar surgery in the 1920s!