Bullies

Bullies

Ones child always enjoyed learning, but lately seems eager to avoid school. Stomachaches and mysterious illnesses pop up in the evening and seem to get worse as the school bus creeps closer to your street the next morning. It is possible the problem has nothing to do with how last night’s dinner was digested. Your child could be worried sick over schoolyard bullies. In the United States, bullying among children and teenagers has often been dismissed as a normal part of growing up. Little attention has been given to the devastating effects of bullying or to the connection between bullying and other forms of violence. In recent years students and adults around the country have begun to make a commitment to put a stop to bullying in their schools and communities Sadly, bullying is widespread. 86% of more than 1,200, 9 out of10, 13-year-old boys and girls polled said they’ve seen someone else being bullied, 48% said they’ve been bullied and 42% admitted to bullying other kids at least once in a while (readersdigest.com). Bullies can take the fun out of school the place where bullying most happens and it can turn something simple like a bus ride to school, a stop at a locker, or a walk to the restroom into a terrifying event that is anticipated with worry. Although there are many other important tribulations this country faces everyday, one must examine the small, seemingly insignificant things, take care of the situation and then move on to larger more challenging problems. If one shows consideration to the insignificant problems, situations such as bullying then later on one will know how to handle the more demanding problems.

Children who are bullied often experience low-self esteem and depression, whereas those doing the bullying may go on to be more destructive and have antisocial behavior as teens and adults. Bullies, who often have been bullied themselves, may pick on others to feel powerful, popular, important, or in control. Often they antagonize the same children repeatedly. Bullying behavior isn’t always easy to define. Where do you draw the line between good-natured ribbing and bullying? Although teasing resembles bullying because it can prompt feelings of anger or embarrassment, teasing can be less hostile and done with humor, rather than harm. Teasing often promotes an exchange between two people rather that a one-sided dose of intimidation (parentingbookmark.com).

Although the black eye is a concrete sign that ones child may be a victim of bullying, there are many different ways kids bully that are not always that easy to spot. Cyber bullying is a relatively new trend that began to take surface as modern communication technologies advanced. Through email, instant messaging, Internet chat rooms and electronic gadgets like camera cell phones. Cyber bullies forward and spread hurtful images and or messages. Bullies use technology to harass victims at all hours, in wide circles and at a fast paced speed. Emotional bullying can be subtler and can involve isolating or excluding a child from activities or spreading rumors. This kind of bullying is especially common among girls. Physical bullying can accompany verbal bullying and involves things like kicking, biting, pinching, hair pulling or threats of physical harm. Racist bullying preys on children through racial slurs, offensive gestures, or making jokes about a child’s cultural traditions or background. Sexual bullying involves unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive or inappropriate comments. Verbal bullying usually involves name calling, persistent mocking and laughing at a child’s outlay. Despite the common notion that bullying is a problem mostly among boys, both boys and girls bully. But boys and girls can vary in the ways that they