Bullying is probably one of the worst things that can happen to children. Most vulnerable to bullying are children with special needs.
No matter how much we brief our children on what to do just in case they get bullied, it is another story when they are on their own.
Young children are not exempted from bullying.
Online bullying happens and is probably just as scary as being bullied at the back of the school building because more people read and see what is happening. It is important to teach children about being careful when they do online activities.
For the teens, with the many issues they are going through, there are some things happening that make them vulnerable to being bullied or becoming bullies themselves. Coping with the challenges they face may make them unsure of what they should do and there are cases when they act out unexpectedly.
Reports of young people taking their own lives have made headlines. I for one is ambivalent if these should be reported because others who are going through so much would probably take interest. At the same time, incidents like these, though depressing and really sad, inspire schools, teachers and parents to be more vigilant in safeguarding and teaching their children about bullying.
So what should parents and teachers tell their students? Here are a few tips:
- Teach your children to stand up to the bully and tell the bully to “Stop it” without being physically aggressive. Better if others are able to hear this.
- If the child can’t stand up to the bully for fear of being physically attacked, he/she can be taught to ignore or turn the other way. Best if the child being bullied/taunted walk away from the bully.
- If the bully waits in a particular spot like maybe a water fountain or a cafeteria table, it is best if the child being bullied don’t go there alone.
- Report to the teacher-in-charge and other school authorities.
Bullying cuts across races and geographical settings. What is happening to one child on the other side of the world is also happening on our side.
Bro. Bo Sanchez has an interesting article on bullying. Another article this time about cyber-bullying written by my friend, Ria. Here is an article written about bullying in the Philippine setting.
Here are some interesting reading materials about bullying: Stop Bullying and Bullying Statistics.