Bullying
Is Not a Game
Bullying takes shape in a variety of forms: it can be physical
(aggression or intimidation), social (relational, social isolation) or verbal
(name calling, ridicule, belittling, shaming). Bullying behaviours can be
identified in children as young as four years old and for some of
those children, the behaviours continue until by Grade 7 or 8 they may have
become accomplished bullies. If children
are not taught at a young age that bullying is unacceptable behaviour that will
be immediately consequenced, there’s no reason for them to stop when they grow
up and enter the workforce. An
estimated 37 percent of employees were subjected to ongoing bullying behavior
according to research by the Workplace Bullying Institute and Zogby International (2007). In fact, workplace bullying has been defined as a chronic “form of abuse with similarities to domestic
violence and the constant exposure of ... health service workers to violent and
distressing situations” (Tehrani, 2004).
Bullying is occurring in playgrounds, classrooms,
school hallways, cafeterias, sports teams, clubs, volunteer organizations, and
workplaces all around the world. It is only when bullying hits home with its
devastating and debilitating pain that it becomes very clear that bullying is
not just ‘kids being kids’; rather, bullying is a severe and dangerous threat
to a person’s health and well-being. Bullying is not a game.
Bullying Advice:
If you are being bullied and don’t
know what to do …
Talk to someone you trust. This can be your parent, grandparent
or person that looks after you. Tell them what happened and how it made you
feel if you can. Tell them you need
their help. You should also tell someone at the school. It can be a
teacher, principal or an adult you trust.
If you don’t feel like you are
safe at school tell your
teacher or your principal. “I do not feel safe”.
Explain what happened as best as
you can. Sometimes it is hard
to remember what happened. It’s easy to forget the details when you are scared.
If you can, write down what happened; this will help you remember.
Find a safe place in the school. Here are a few ideas but maybe you and your
teacher can think of some more … Helping another teacher or helping another
class room. Ask if there is something you can do during recess and lunch if you
don’t feel that you can be with the other kids. Maybe help in the office. This
doesn’t have to be forever but just for a little while until you feel
comfortable.
Never do anything you do not feel
comfortable doing. If someone
wants you to talk to the bully or suggests you “try to work it out” and you
don’t feel comfortable doing so, say you don’t want to and ask to speak to your
parent.
These strategies are excerpted
from Bullying is Not a Game: A
Parents’ Survival Guide by Julie
Christiansen (www.angersolution.com) and Laurie Flasko. Follow us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/Bullying-is-Not-a-Game.
