It seems like I'm seeing more and more in the news about children being bullied. It's not that bullying is a new thing; it's probably been around since the beginning of man. However, the tools and techniques have evolved. When we were kids, there was name calling on the playground and a few scuffles here and there. You would go home and your mom would find out and call the other kid's parents and probably make that kid hate your guts even more. For the most part, though, the kid would move on to some other poor soul who wore the wrong clothes or looked a little different. Now, it seems as though it's a hunt for kids. They find their target and lock on until the person being bullied pretty much gives up on life. Kids in elementary school are being full-on harassed by their peers. This is different than the old run of the mill bullying. They are relentless! It doesn't go away when the children get home, either.
Texts and emails are new tools being used to hurt victims. Social media sites are mediums for word wars and attacks. These are relatively new issues that we, as adults, have to find a way to stop. The bright side is that awareness has gone up on the issue. The sad part is it took too many children to suffer the consequences to get where we are and we still haven't found a great cure-all.
I recently read about an 11 year old boy who tried suicide because he was bullied for liking a popular tv show that is seen more as a girl's television show. This is a travesty. We try to teach our children or grandchildren to be themselves and that it's ok to have different interests than your peers, but then when they get to school, they are harassed to the point of, in this case, almost no return.
I understand that kids can be sneaky and that you can't watch them 100% of their lives, BUT I have to wonder what we can do better. Obviously, children are not being taught at a young enough age that bullying hurts people. Maybe they don't know what "bullying" looks like. Teach children not to judge people by the way they look or the things they like. Teach your children not to make fun of someone because of their IQ or the way they speak. The best way to teach a child is through example. When you are laughing at someone because of who they are, your child is watching ... and learning. If you are a bully, your child will probably be a bully too. It's getting pretty tough for kids out there and that's a scary thing to think about.
There are steps you can take to prevent your child from being a bully and there are steps you can take to identify if your child is being bullied. I have some links for you to check out. I'm not responsible for the content of these websites. I cannot give you legal advice, but I hope they are helpful.
Stopbullying.gov
Bullyfree.com
Violencepreventionworks.org
And www.preventchildabuse.org
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