it is much more than just
hurtful words
spiteful taunts
aggressive actions
bullying
can
maim self esteem
destroy self confidence
strangling faith with a rope
strangling faith with a rope
k i l l
Say NO to Bullying !
Commentary: I like that the Catholic grade school of my daughter is taking time out to teach the children about bullying and how to handle it. They even provided a telephone help line to talk and report such bullying incidents. My daughter has been intimated by an older female student before but she showed her claws in one encounter, so now they largely ignore each other. My older son had fought a bully in the school ground, with a crowd watching, when he was young. After this incident, he was never bullied again. Is this the way to handle bullies? I don't know but as a parent, I always tell my children to let us know if they have problems with anyone and to discuss it with us.
Linking up with Poetry Jam: Bully and Theme Thursday: Community
Grace, thank you for sharing this. So important to educate children how painful and dangerous this is. Great post !
ReplyDeleteThanks Ayala ~ I appreciate your lovely words ~
DeleteI think the only way to stop being bullied is to do exactly what your kids did Grace. Sometimes the bullies are the biggest cowards going and once shown no fear they can tend to back off. It happened with Chloe when she was younger too. A girl would grab her wrist and burn her by twisting. I told her she was much stronger than she realised and to grab the girls own wrist before she could grab her. She did, and it shocked this bully girl so much, she never touched her again! Sometimes it works, sometimes it leads to even worse. Difficult to know how to play it really but, hurts to know kids/people suffer.
ReplyDeleteSo glad neither of your is bullied anymore. I'm not sure all the politcal correctness and do-gooders help at all.
I think the school try their best but it really depends on the children to take action. I don't encourage them to be aggressive but to take a stand when they are being bullied and treated unfairly. I am glad this has passed and has not scarred them in any way. I like to believe we give them a lot of support and unconditional love such that they can handle the situation by themselves. Thanks Bren ~
DeleteI do think showing one's claws is helpful sometime as well. I think that is the quickest way to get the bully to stop. This is what my son-in-law (career army) advised my grandsons as well...AFTER having reported it to the teacher first. If that didn't stop a situation, then 'claws' were in order. I find myself wondering how many bullies as children turn into abusers as adults.
ReplyDeleteYour poem is good. Bullying CAN kill.....slowly. I truly am glad that schools and society seems to be taking note of this issue and trying to deal with it. Do see the movie "Bully" if you have an opportunity.
I mentioned the killing because some victims have tried to kill themselves already out of despair. It is sad when it has come to this, but sadly, it happens. Thanks Mary, I will check out the movie though its not being shown here.
DeleteThis touched me so much. My daugther suffer bulling about three years ago, still she is with Psicologist and dont like her school fortunately is the last year in school but believe me we still suffer with it:(
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to read this Gloria. I hope your family, specially your daughter will find the closure you need to deal with this. The effects of bullying are devastating. ((Hugs))
Deletetrue that...it is very harmful and the affects travel forward as well...i think the key is creating that open communication with your kids...bullying is rampant and often times even with policy in place teachers dont want to deal with it...
ReplyDeleteI think standing up to bullies like your kids did takes so much courage but is very effective. The schools here are also taking proactive stances toward bullying, as all should. Unfortunately many bullies grow up to be bullies... in trouble.
ReplyDeleteYep bullying is stupid in every way and should never be taken lightly. When it happens one should push back and that stops it many a time.
ReplyDeleteBullying leaves it's marks and gradually as we grow up the incidents affect our future lives too...Nicely done...:)
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, yes and yes!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, say NO to bullying!
ReplyDeleteSo true. It is great that your child's school is talking about bullying. A friend of mine started a Kindness program in the schools around BC and it has spread quite wonderfully.
ReplyDeleteI hate bullying. It is good schools are addressing this hot topic of childhood.
ReplyDeleteThe COMMUNITY needs to stand up to bullies as well. We all bear responsibility of stopping it wherever we see it. Good thoughts.
ReplyDeleteBullying is horrible. Luckily, I was not bullied but I have seen kids being bullied in my school. Somehow, the older kids thought that they had the right to treat their junior in any way they want. But counting the quoted experience, I guess, standing up to the bully might be one of the ways to stop it.
ReplyDeleteI loved your poem. It expressed the effects of bullying succinctly. Well done.
That is so true, confidence is the be all and end all of aspiration, self identity and drive. If one loses their confidence through bulling, it is hard to make a come back from that
ReplyDeleteThis is so true! A powerful poem.
ReplyDeleteMy precious goddaughter was bullied at her school and my heart ached as I watched her struggle to understand how someone she didn't even know that well could be so unfathomably cruel.
ReplyDeleteA 12 year old shouldn't learn the lesson that people can be cruel so early in her life.
I think that is what hurt the most, the loss of a big chunk of her innocence.
Great post today. Made me think.
Words can kill self-esteem and make victims much faster than a fist, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteShort, succinct, and full of truth. Others words and taunts can and do last a lifetime.
ReplyDeleteThe ones saying 'No' aren't the ones bullying. People (and children) like that can't be moved by slogans.
ReplyDeleteEducation on this WILL change the thinking on the playground, however years ago when the school my children attended started a unit in their class about bullying, the teacher noticed, bullying had increased...???...this really disturbed me as I was a TA in the school.
ReplyDeleteI have gone through this... i can feel the pain you have described...
ReplyDelete