When kids go under the knife

What a softy generation we're raising. Parents actually put their children through plastic surgery just to avoid bullies. A 7-year-old in South Dakota received plastic surgery to pin her ears back because the mother, Cami Roselles, claims her daughter gets bullied. We were all 7 years old once, and even though some of us were bullied, our parents would never have turned to plastic surgery unless we were seriously maimed in a car accident or something of similar tragedy.

A lot of people have supported this mom's decision to put her child under the knife. They compare it to the same type of cosmetic procedure as braces. They're missing one thing, though – braces don't require anesthesia, which is dangerous even for adults. Braces and ear pinning aren't even in the same ball park. I understand they are both cosmetic for the most part, but correcting an overbite isn't nearly as invasive or dangerous.

How far are parents willing to go to hide their children from bullies? Breast implants for a late bloomer? A little lipo never hurt anyone, right? I know Roselles loves her child, but what is she really teaching her? She's sending a message to her daughter that there's something wrong with her. Instead of telling her daughter the bully has the problem, she's causing her daughter to be more self-conscious. She needs to love herself the way she is. When she is 18, then she can decide if the surgery is worth the risk.

Roselles said people would call Samantha, her daughter, "monkey ears." So what? What happened to sticks and stones? So her ears are a little big. I had gapped teeth, bug eyes and spaghetti limbs up until I was in college. The only thing my parents and orthodontist said needed fixing were my teeth and that I would eventually grow out of the "awkward stage." They were right. No one looks exactly the way they did in elementary school. Everyone looks a little off at some point. Our imperfections build character.

Now, no one should be made to feel inferior for conditions they cannot control, but let's face it, bullies are out there, and if they don't pick on her ears they'll probably find something else to say about her. She could be perfectly symmetrical, but if a bully wants to hurt her feelings they'll find a way. No one should ever put their child through surgery unless it's absolutely necessary. And shame on the doctor that performed this atrocity. Some surgeons won't even operate on adults if the request is unnecessary. So what was this doctor thinking?

Samantha's mom said, "Adults are the worst. They say right in front of her, 'Oh my gosh, what happened to her ear? That's so gross!'" Well, guess what Mrs. Roselles, that's when you really show your daughter how to defend herself. Set an example and confront them! Don't let them talk about your daughter like that. You've taught your daughter that there's something wrong with her. You should have taught her to accept and love the way she looks. That's how confidence is built.

Bullies made me a stronger person. They taught me to stand up for myself. Heck, I still get bullied, but you learn to dust yourself off. The fact is, bullies are everywhere. They don't go away when you graduate high school. The mother should know this; she even acknowledged that adults tease her daughter the most. They're in the workplace, they're in restaurants. One thing remains the same: It's the bully who has the problem.

I watched an interview with Samantha and her mother, and to be honest, Samantha didn't seem all that upset with the way she looked. When asked if she was bullied she responded, "Not really." I'm trying hard not to judge Roselles because I'm not a parent yet, but I can't imagine putting my daughter through this kind of an ordeal for cosmetic purposes. It sounds like the mother is more ashamed and upset than Samantha.

My dose of honesty: Cleft palates and skin grafts are pretty much the only acceptable form of cosmetic surgery that should be considered for children. Everything else is a learning experience. Young people lack patience, and parents coddle this behavior. Everything is a quick fix. We're teaching children it is OK to change what you look like in order to protect yourself. Why not put them in a martial-arts class so they can defend themselves and build courage? Instead of confronting these bullies, Samantha will now try to fix the things she doesn't like about herself. Just what we need, another insecure girl.