Reggie Sorensen
Teaching kids to be kind
As she was growing up in Tasmania, former Big Brother winner Reggie Sorensen, then Reggie Bird, says she was badly bullied and suffered vicious taunts from her fellow students.
“They used to call me ‘bush pig’ because I wasn’t allowed to shave my legs. Kids can be so cruel,” the 44-year-old tells Woman’s Day.
So when Reggie’s 12-year-old daughter Mia appeared unusually withdrawn, the single mum knew something was wrong. “Mia is by nature a sweet soul – she’s one of those kids who everyone loves because she’s so kind,” Reggie says. “She loves school but started to say she didn’t want to go,” adding it turned out a bully had marked Mia as her target.
“This girl physically pokes her and calls her names,” Reggie sighs, explaining her family’s much-publicised struggles, including Reggie’s
confession she didn’t have a job or a place to live, appear to have added fuel to the flames.
FINDING STRENGTH
“The bully has said to Mia she’s ‘poor and has to shop at the dollar shop’ and tells her she’s stupid and can’t have an iphone 7 and Macbook like her – it’s just horrible,” Reggie says. “I’m a single mum and we do it tough – but Mia doesn’t deserve this sort of vile vitriol – and they’re only in Grade 7!”
In testament to the family’s strength, Mia’s little brother Lucas, nine, has proven to be a huge support, despite his daily struggle with cystic fibrosis. And Reggie – who is losing her sight due to a rare degenerative eye condition – says Lucas has been urging his sister to not let the bully break her down. “Thankfully we caught this early and because Mia has a very robust self-esteem she’s been able to combat these cruel taunts, with the support of the teachers and friends and family,” Reggie says.
So determined is the proud mum to stamp out bullying, she’s agreed to front a new initiative – Starshell Student – an online platform tailored to help support, combat and alert parents whose kids are being targeted.
“I’m no tech head but this is simple,” Reggie says. “It offers a trigger if inappropriate language or activity is being sent to your kids’ phone or device. It assists in identifying and alerting issues of bullying, sexting, drugs, alcohol, self-harm and mood recognition.
“Every parent needs to have this – if it saves just one child, then it’s worth it. We have a responsibility to teach our kids that bullying gets you nowhere.
“The internet is bursting with cowards who prey on kids and think they can say whatever they want with zero consequences.
“As a mother and protector, I have a duty of care. I want the whole world to be kinder – wouldn’t that be a much happier place for everyone?”
‘Every parent needs this… if it saves just one child, it’s worth it’