Say No To Bullying

Hello Fingley Folk,

In light of this month being National Bullying Prevention Month around the world, and the upcoming Anti-Bullying Week in the UK in November, we thought we’d speak a little about the sometimes taboo subject.

Bullying is a widespread problem, in schools, social groups and workplaces, even within families. Historically, bullying has been viewed as a “rite of passage” for kids, something that would make them tougher, stronger. But the reality of the devastating effects that bullying can sometimes have on children is so much more.

Children who are bullied are more likely to suffer from low self-esteem, anxiety and depression, as well as physical, emotional and mental scars. They are likely to continue this into adulthood, and may suffer devastating long-term effects. Unfortunately, with the addition of Social Media, mobile phones, and online sites, bullying is becoming harder to monitor, and even harder to see.

Bullying is intolerable and unacceptable, and thankfully attitudes are changing. This is all thanks to fantastic organisations like PACER's NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION CENTRE, who developed the original campaign in 2006. They reached out to communities across the USA to provide schools, education systems, parents and students with better resources and support for bullying. Their initiative helps communities all around the world to focus on creating awareness and support through the month of October in order to advance better responses and prevention to this universal problem.

Facebook, Disney, Yahoo, Instagram and CNN are just some of the companies that have partnered with the initiative to help raise awareness. Visit Pacer’s website to view their recent campaigns. A new pledge to “Unite for Kindness, Acceptance and Inclusion,” a new design for their signature shirt and a year-long educator toolkit are just some of the new initiatives in this year’s campaign.

Try and think of some ways to prevent bullying in your community. Can you take part in a fundraising event which raises awareness for the scheme? Volunteer in a school? Can you simply spread the message on Social Media?

We have some handy info about some of the most important things you can do –

Listen, Watch and Speak.

Listen to a child who may seem quieter than normal, or who might be struggling to tell you something. Give them plenty of encouragement, support and patience.

Watch for the signs of bullying. Has your child become more withdrawn? Are they unwilling to socialize? Do they seem anxious about attending school? Have their grades dropped? Are they concerned with aspects of their appearance all of a sudden? Are they angry?

Speak up about what you suspect. Sometimes it’s hard for parents to admit there is a problem, but this is the crucial first step to stopping the unfair treatment a child is experiencing. Children and parents can be fearful of making the situation worse, but no child deserves to live in fear every day. Source the problem, deal with the problem and fix the problem. Don’t be afraid to approach the school about bullying. This type of behaviour is unacceptable and needs to be disciplined immediately by the school authorities. Continue to monitor the situation, and encourage your child to speak honestly about what’s going on.

It's important to let the victim know that they are not to blame. Try and give them as much encouragement as you can, and support them through this difficult time. Let them know you are there to listen and care. And above all, let them know that bullying is wrong. Encourage them to speak out if they witness any type of bullying, and to be tolerant of others.

By doing this, one person at a time, we can destroy the taboo that exists around speaking about Bullying, and ensure support and prevention so that children can always feel safe in their environment.

Try reading Tom’s Time Tunnel Quest to learn all about how it is important to be yourself no matter what, how the things that are unique to you should be valued and how important it is to care.