As a kid, you likely have a habit of poking fun at some peers or maybe you trip them in the hallway. What you don’t likely realize is that everyday those same kids are secretly wishing they could do worse things to you … or to themselves. Kids and teenagers need to understand that by teasing others you may get a few years of popularity, but those you tease sometimes feel a lifetime of low self-esteem and depression.
According to StopBullyingNow.com, 160,000 children miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by their peers. As a parent, your children are a reflection of you so if your child is the being the bully, talk to them and figure out where they get that type of behavior and let them know it is not acceptable. Adults, such as parents and teachers, should get more involved when they witness bullying or when a child shows characteristics of being bullied.
I remember in elementary school getting bullied because of the texture of my hair. At such a young age, I felt so low. All I wanted was an adult to come to my defense because at the age, a child knows an adult is to be respected. No child should have to grow up knowing stereotypes and feeling not worthy for whatever reason.
According to bullyingfacts.info, one in every 20 students has seen a student carrying a gun while on school premises, and 61% of students who were interviewed stated that bullying can lead to students shooting other children. When children are bullied, lots of parents think the kids will get over it eventually or that it’s just a phase. Not true!
Lidia Brown is an intern with Women of the ELCA.
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Photo by Design Demon/Diablo. Used with permission.
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