Teens
and tweens, no matter what era in history, have always encountered bullying.
From the playground to the bus stop, kids have either been the victim, been a
bystander, or even been the aggressor. However, things seem to be changing.
Cyber bullying has become a prevalent issue and an epidemic spreading across
the nation.
So
what is bullying exactly? Bullying is an aggressive behavior that involves
power imbalance through verbal, social and/or physical hostility. One of the
most common reasons for bullying at the teen and tween age groups is based
around physical appearance. Not only is this behavior hurtful to the victim in
the present, but it can also have serious and long term affects on a person as
well.
The
problem with cyber bullying is that most of the time it is not an overt public
ordeal. The harassing is done behind closed doors, in private, making it hard
for authoritative figures, such as teachers, principals, and parents to stop
the bullying. Without “big brother” watching over these young kids in cyber
space, it is easy for a bully to get away unscathed without having to suffer
any consequences. So how do we stop the cruelty?
1.
Stop Bullying on the Spot: Adults need to respond quickly and consistently to
bullying behavior, teaching that it is not acceptable.
2.
Find Out What Happened: Determine the best way to approach that conversation.
3.
Support the Kids Involved: Knowing that there is support is comforting to a
child, which reminds them that they are not alone.
4.
Be More Than a Bystander: Parents, and other kids especially, see bullying
every day, but learning how to approach a bully safely, can make a huge
difference in the victims confidence, self-esteem, safety, and livelihood.
These
methods can be applied to bullying on the playground or in cyber space. As
parents, keeping a watch on your child’s behavior is important. If you notice
something is wrong with your teen or tween, ask. If something is wrong, take
action and teach your angels how to properly handle the situation.
Have
a beautiful and bully-free week Angels!
-Mod
Angel