In recent headlines it feels like there has been an increase in children bullying one another to an unimaginable extent- to death. The recent news of Phoebe Prince (15 years old), as explained in the attached CBS News brief, needs to bring each of us to action. The CBS correspondent, Jennifer Ashton explains that recognizing the signs of bullying sooner and better can help prevent such tragedies. The important point made is that words are hurting children and teens and just because there are no physical signs of harm, does not mean there has not been any. In the article, it discusses that 32% of children 12-18 years old say they have been bullied. Ashton states, “It (bullying) involves the repeated malicious behaviors that continue over time.”
If children continue to be bullied in such a manner, Ashton suggests they may show signs of depression and anxiety, low self-esteem, lower school performance, which all may contribute to interrupted “social development.”
Here are some things you can look for:
• Comes home with torn or damaged clothing or missing belongings
• Has unexplained cuts or bruises
• Seems afraid of going to school, riding the bus or participating in activities
• Drop in school grades
• Complains often of physical ailments
• Has trouble sleeping or loss of appetite.
It is important to look for these signs because a child or teen may try to keep their hurt from others, possibly for fear of being harassed and bullied further. Ashton outlines some steps to take if you believe a child is being bullied:
• Gently confront them about what is going on and encourage disclosure
• Allow ample time for a response
• Reassure they have done the right thing and that they do not deserve such treatment
• Inquire what steps they would like to take
• Help them learn coping skills and how to reduce harassment
• If occurring at school- speak with administration, teachers, etc
Lastly, Ashton writes that if we want children to be in a bully-free environment, than adults must be the role models and not contribute to the problem.
I came across this news brief on CBSnews.com and it caught my attention. Recently, I have feel like there has been an increase in coverage of children who have taken drastic measures against themselves, as a result of bullying inflicted upon them. The most striking part of the brief to me is when Ashton addresses that adults must set a good example and create a bully-free environment for children, if we want children to abstain from bullying one another. It seems like a simple concept, but all too often, adults get wrapped up in controversy and mean spirited ways. If this is what a child experiences, it is likely they will take this behavior out on others. When thinking about the reasons children bully others, one issue comes to mind first, that someone else has bullied the bully.
Whether one believes a bully has become a bully because someone has first bullied them matters, but not as much as how we address the bully. They can not be ignored either. It is obvious the person doing the bullying is crying out for help, too. Ignoring that there are issues going on with inside them would be a mistake and an even bigger mistake if they continue to hurt others due to their own personal conflicts.
On the survivingbullies.org website, which was suggested by a commenter on the CBSnews brief, there are many tools and lots of information that can be useful in addressing this problem. I think we still have a long way to go, though. Also in the above summarized article, Ashton mentions how bullying used to be seen as a “rite of passage” that it would help toughen a child up. At this point in time that thinking seems uninformed. Expecting children to toughen up at the mercy of a bully is no longer acceptable. Instead we need to be teaching children what to do when faced with bullying, we need to educate other children on how to react when they see a peer bullied and most importantly educate all on what to do when this behavior is recognized. Children already live in a tough enough world. We do not need to allow bullies to make it harder for them. Educate. Educate. Educate.
Blog based of article found at http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504544_162-20003176-504544.html
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