another rather lengthy ramble deep from within my own understanding

Just thought i'd expand and disagree with what David says (to a point anyway). Even though im married to him doesn't mean I can't think for myself ;)

Teasing in good humor: what does that mean???
It means that you don't mean any harm by what you say, but by you not meaning any harm doesn't mean that harm isn't caused.

Teasing is a tactful way of putting someone down and getting away with it. It puts you in a role of power. You increase your feeling of worth by teasing another's faults. This is also true with adults teasing children, especially if by words. It enforces you as a Adult being of more interlectual power (not very humble in my opinion) than that of the child. Thus it's NOT encouraging or uplifting them but PUTTING them down as people, making fun of their faults/weaknesses and maybe even giving them a false view of themselves.

For me being teased by my Dad had a negative effect on me, even though it was done I'm good humor'. I was teased for being scruffy looking, for being messy, for being creative, for being tom-boyish, for being unconstructive, even for being chubby (okay I was average and my brothers were skinny and girl shave more fat than boys anyway!).

What I learnt from this was to dwell on the things that I wasn't. That I was just never any good, nothing about me was positive (It took away my confidence in myself and who I was). That being artistic was not of any value and was a waste of time. It made me form a view of myself; a false view. Now I'm realizing that I can change (and David is the main person who has facilitated this change, he still has to tell me when I doubt my own worth which often projects onto anything I produce being worthless weather it be a painting or some clothes designs. He has to build my confidence). I can use my artistic gift to bless others. I see my "scruffyness' as just the way I am and not necessarily a negative thing at all.

A child wants to grow up to be an adult. You are the example of an adult to him and the way he see's you relate to him and others is the way he learns to behave, and he will imitate this. If he see's you using sarcasm, teasing etc etc he will try and master these arts, thinking if he masters them he will be more grown up/more powerful. Maybe it's us as adults that teach children to bully by the way we relate to them!!


The use on nonsense == teasing

This is also playing with a child's imagination or simple thoughts, but is not down putting (most of the time). It doesn't put you (the adult) above the child but puts you down on there level or below of understanding and ecourages the use of creativity and imagination (the joys of Childhood).
Me being me I think this is important for an adult and should be encouraged in children and adults (hey but I'm an artist).

A child perceives the world very different than an adult. A child uses imagination, fantasy as well as knowledge to experience their surroundings, whereas an Adult often dismisses the use of imagination and views the world in a much more dull manner ( most adults do anyway, and the others are usually viewed as childish and bizarre).