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WHAT TO DO IF I AM BEING BULLIED? OR IF SOMEONE ELSE IS BEING BULLIED?

What can I do to stop bullying? That was my question when I heard that a young teenage girl in my community was the victim of relentless bullying. What can I do to stop the bullying?

A very helpful website which deals with questions and answers about bullying is: www.kidpower.org/bullying.

Here are some questions and answers from that website:

1. What to do if you see someone who is being bullied:
*Get friends together and TALK to the bully. Let the bullies in your school know that bullying is not accepted at your school. (47 states have a law against bullying in the schools.)
*Don’t cheer the bully on or stand around to watch. The bully might like the attention, and pick on the kid even more.
*If you see someone being bullied, find someone to help stop it. Get another friend, a teacher, a playground safety, a principal.
*Be nice to, include, and get to know the people who are being bullied: You may find they are similar to you!

2. What to do if someone is bullying you:
*Tell someone you trust about it. If it is easier for you, write that person a note instead!! (People you might want to tell are: parents, teachers, the principal, playground safeties, or old friends.)
*If the person you told cannot help you or does not do anything, find someone else! Never keep being bullied a secret!
*Try not to let the bully see you are upset.  (Bullies are looking for signs that you are upset and they may do it more.)
*Avoid areas where the bully feels comfortable picking on you; for example, places where teachers cannot see you- such as corners of the playground, lonely corridors, and behind large furniture.
*Try to surround yourself with friends and people who will stand up for you.

3. And what would happen if we all chose kindness more often?
“In every exchange with another person we have a choice of how to respond. It seems that often it is easier to respond in haste with a sarcastic or angry comment. Taking the time for kindness often seems like more than we can handle. But what if we did take a moment to think about a “right” response to another person? What if, instead of pretending we didn’t see the person trying to exit their driveway into our lane of traffic, we simply let that person out in front of us? What if we approached the clerk at the grocery store or the taxi driver with a big smile on our face and an interest in their well-being? What if we complimented our family members more in a single day than we criticized them? What if when someone baited us with their difficult behavior, we chose to walk away instead of fighting back? For most of us, we’d find a calmer, more peaceful approach to life if we made these different choices. The truth is that it’s not easy. Mean comes on more quickly and is often more satisfying–at least in the moment. But when the moment wears off and you are standing there, what kind of person do you want to be?”

By: Beverly Flaxington.