October is National Bullying Prevention Month. How are you working to stop bullying?
By Guest Blogger on October 4th, 2011
We loved Alex Wladich’s first OOM post so much, we had to ask her back for more. Below, she tells us about an issue near and dear to her heart: bullying. Thanks, Alex!
When I was in high school, a new website launched that became the talk of the school. After just a few weeks, though, it was shut down by school officials once they discovered it was an outlet for bullying, where people posted mean stories bashing other students That was almost 10 years ago, and I’m sad to see the trend of bullying has not yet faded.
Whether it’s online or face-to-face, bullying happens every day throughout schools and communities. According to the National Education Association, it is estimated that 160,000 children miss school every day because they are afraid of being bullied. That’s a lot of school absences that can be prevented…and a lot of missed learning experiences.
In efforts to stop bullying and harassment, October is the being recognized as National Bullying Prevention Month. We’ve talked about bullying before here on OOM, so check out this post for resources on bullying – from signs to recognize it and books to help kids deal with it. But meanwhile, read on for more information.
Throughout October, organizations such as PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center are campaigning and hosting events to raise awareness about bullying and cyber bullying to the community. It’s become such a hot topic that even celebrities such as Lady Gaga have become involved; she, for instance, is trying to make bullying illegal in response to the recent death of a teenager who took his own life after years of being harassed.
While online tools have, in many cases, made bullying easier, they’ve also become anti-bullying destinations – safe havens for kids dealing with the issue. For example, Facebook groups have been created to start discussions, post thoughts, share experiences, and promote the idea of bullying prevention, like Stop Bullying: Speak Up and I Oppose Bullying; on one group, I found an especially moving post:
I really hope you’ll take the first step & make a difference in someone else’s life tomorrow! Stick up for someone without being a bully to the bully, compliment someone just to make them smile, help someone who needs an extra hand, open the door for someone who’s [sic] arms are full, enjoy the day & just make a difference!
I truly believe that the above post shows how easy it can be to make someone’s day. If we all took the time to make a difference in our classmates’ or peers’ lives, who knows…maybe those 160,000 children would all be present at school.
Have you ever had to face bullying? What would you say to kids who are dealing with the issue today?
Posted: October 4th, 2011 under More News. Tags: discussion, parenting, schools, students, teachers.
4 comments
Comments
Bullying is a significant problem and is steadily increasing. So much focus is on how to ‘deal with’ bullies rather than how to figure out a way to ‘prevent’ kids from becoming bullies. I believe we need to teach children, at an early age, ‘how-to’ become a person of integrity. As a result there’d be fewer bullies walking the hallways in our schools. We tell children how important it is for them to be a good person, but we fail them if we don’t suggest how-to go about doing this.
When my twin boys were 9 years old, I knew they needed to establish their self-worth. I searched for a children’s book that would help them recognize their significance and the impact they have on others. I had no success in finding any books written for children (ages 8-11) that addressed this subject, so I decided to write it myself.
The series Being a Better Me consists of 5 volumes of short stories written to assist children between the ages of 8-11 in becoming better people. The entire series provides informative building blocks that serve as the foundation of a child’s integrity.
The shape of our society, the fate of our country, depends on our children becoming quality people. Our youth needs to establish a sense of worth, confidence, conviction and integrity to guide them throughout their lives. Your commitment to enriching the integrity of children could prove to be your most admirable contribution to humanity.
Diane M. Yelencsics
beingabetterme@comcast.net
Comment on October 5, 2011 at 9:11 am
Does anyone know the reading level for this book(s)? I may want to use it in such a way that children read this on their own, rather than to read it to them…
Comment on October 6, 2011 at 1:30 pm
I once bullied a kid because he was different. He was different because he had been bullied. then I got stuck in a place where i got bullied. I am old now and regrets are just the fact that I didn’t understand what hate can do to others.
Comment on October 11, 2011 at 4:13 pm
I commend the various organizations and companies across the country addressing this issue. I am 32 years old now but I was teased and taunted almost daily from 7th to 8th grade. It was tough but I eventually was able to cope and live a powerful life. It took the support of friends and family as well as self determination. I spoke up. A lot of youth are afraid to. I encourage everyone to take a stand and not be bystanders. Stand by the sides of your children, friends, neighbors and all those who are struggling. We’re all in this together.
Comment on October 13, 2011 at 11:16 am
