| It's one of those subjects that is difficult to quantify. | | | | Before reacting physically, or with emotion, it's always |
| Ask anyone who ever attended school if they | | | | best to laugh and walk away. By simply and |
| witnessed bullying and you will always hear a yes, to | | | | effectively tossing off the comment, the bully is denied |
| some degree. Ask educators today and some will tell | | | | the very thing he wanted - control and power over |
| you that not only does it exist, it is getting more vicious. | | | | another person. |
| In spite of all the efforts to educate, and expect good | | | | The one fact which may come as a surprise to the |
| treatments between students, the fact remains: bullying | | | | person bearing the burden of the bullying is that he or |
| is common. | | | | she is not the only one to feel helpless, angry, and |
| The triggers for bullies are generally shallow and petty, | | | | scared. The potent and socially devastating effects of |
| revolving around appearance and dress. But to school | | | | bullying are that everyone feels this way when they |
| age kids, the reasons, however inconsequential they | | | | see it. You are not alone, nor is anyone else. Bullying |
| seem, don't matter. Bullying has very real | | | | affects everyone, but if no one says or does anything |
| consequences for the victim: dread, fear, insecurity, | | | | about it, everyone feels isolated from one another. |
| and a sense of injustice. | | | | More and more schools are adopting a "no bullying" |
| A bully looks for is someone to make him feel big and | | | | policy, along with education about how kids can handle |
| powerful. He initially looks for someone who looks | | | | it together. Aside from stricter repercussions for |
| helpless. All bullies are counting on the victim to give | | | | bullying (and that's up to the adults in the schools), |
| them what they want -- to be upset, to cry, to show | | | | students are encouraged to act together confronting |
| fear, or to act angry. Instead, the best way for | | | | bullying if they see it when an adult is not around. By |
| someone to protect himself is to simply NOT react. | | | | encouraging kids to act, and by educating them on the |
| Ignore him, walk away, or tell him to stop. Period. | | | | truth of how it affects everyone in the school, students |
| The other main thing a bully looks for is someone who | | | | are free to speak out and stand up the bully. That |
| is alone. The best way to avoid bullying is to stick | | | | takes courage, admittedly. |
| together with other students. The common bully does | | | | The sad fact is that most bullies become hated and |
| not want to attract attention, so if you make eye | | | | despised by high school. They tend to be the ones |
| contact, tell him to leave you alone, and stay with | | | | with very few friends; no one trusts them or wants to |
| some others students, you can often avoid | | | | associate with them after they hit their teenage years. |
| confrontations. | | | | Most bullies become loners and are often the ones |
| Another way to feel more confident is to know some | | | | who turn to criminal behavior before they are even |
| self defense moves, although actually practicing them | | | | adults. |
| on campus is likely to bring on more trouble than the | | | | The bully is a problem in many schools, indeed, but by |
| bully himself. But the simple matter of boosting your | | | | training kids in how to deal with one, and encouraging |
| self respect and confidence could be enough to keep | | | | strong peer relationships as a means of dealing with |
| the bully at bay. In most student situations, an adult is | | | | the bullies, most schools can deal with the problems |
| not present or the bullying takes place off campus. | | | | before they peak in violence. Further means of ridding |
| Knowing some simple ways to defend yourself can | | | | schools of the threats, requires adults to take the |
| instill a sense of calm, self control, and non threatening | | | | problem seriously when it occurs, assuring the victims |
| inner power which is often enough to make a bully | | | | that their strong, peaceful means of combating bullying |
| think twice before instigating a power play. | | | | will be upheld with stricter consequences if the |
| When bullying starts, it's often with a casual rude | | | | problems continue. An adult/child solution is almost |
| remark, name calling, and criticizing in a petty way. | | | | always an effective means of thwarting bullies. |