Bullying Awareness
She focuses harder on the video playing in the classroom when her chair is kicked from behind.
She hears the muffled laughter. Tears sting, face is getting hotter.
Her chair is jerked back then slid side to side, the legs scrapping across the floor.
Why doesn’t the teacher do something?
She turns around and begins hitting the boy’s legs. The laughter continues but he releases her chair.
She can see her teacher standing in the back corner, eyes focused on the TV at the front of the room.
With Bullying Awareness Day approaching (October 11, 2022), we are reminded of how work is needed to stop the idea of bullying being a normal part of growing up. In the last post, we learned about the prevalence of bullying as well as how to be an upstander, instead of a bystander. Despite this, I can’t stop thinking if there is anything else that can be done? After all, bullying does not stop once high school ends; bullies grow up to become that jerk you can’t stand at work.
Thankfully, there are ways to help our kids deal with bullies, whether the bully is jerk-face co-worker or the girl spreading rumors about them at school. According to Stopbullying.gov, developing resilience helps children develop the emotional skills which deflect the effects of bullying. Share your experience with bullies, how it made you feel and what you wished you could have said or done. Practice responding to bullying by role playing scenarios; we always think of the best thing to say to a bully after it’s too late, role playing gives kids some practiced responses to use on the spot. Role playing also teaches kids to stand up for themselves; ignoring bullies will not make them stop, standing up for oneself discourages bullies who will move on to an “easier” target. Most importantly, whether you are a parent or another trusted adult, be open, supportive, and non-judgmental; bullying creates feelings of isolation in its victims, therefore knowing someone who accepts them and they can talk to will minimize the negative emotional impact bullying has on a child.
The story at the beginning is my memory. Despite twenty-eight years passing, feelings of anger, embarrassment and helplessness crash over me and I am fourteen years old again. I wish someone in my life taught me to be resilient instead of passive. Bullying is something we deal with throughout our entire lives, but we do not have to be victims; teaching resilience creates emotionally healthy kids.
-Becky