When I was a child about 3,000 years ago, there was always the school yard bully.
We knew who he was or at times, who she was and we all participated in outright or subtle “avoidance” behavior. The rules of engagement were well known and all involved abided by them.
However, today, bullying has taken on a newer, darker and more troubling personality. It seems that there are some children that just simply like being mean. The negative values that they are shown from an early age come screaming through. It appears that today’s mentality is one of simply piling on some unsuspecting child.
My heart has been wrenched when I hear one of my grandsons talk about what he has gone through and what other kids are also going through.
The Bullying Statistic website, states;
” too many adults still see bullying as “just part of being a kid,” it is a serious problem that leads to many negative effects for victims, including suicide. Many people may not realize that there is also a link between being a bully and committing suicide.”
As his doting grandmother, I try to prop him up and tell him about famous people who were also bullied as children. I implore all of the aunts, uncles, grandparents and parents to keep an eye on this very serious matter. Find out if your child is being bullied or is in fact one of the bullies. They might be a tad bit reluctant to discuss the fact that they are being bullied, but it is important that the family in unity work together to support the child and to bring serious bullying to the attention of school officials.
Photo Credit: stevegatto2 via Compfight cc
Thank you for taking the time to read my article.
BB
Thank you, Bea. Now our children are vulnerable to cyberbullying from video gaming, too. Harder to directly address or avoid an anonymous bully.