Publisher's Note

Publisher’s Note
It was 22 years ago when I arrived in Canada and chose Calgary, Alberta to be my home. Leaving my family and friends behind, it was a new adventure for me to be in a new country without knowing anyone. That was the time I looked for a Filipino community paper and never found any, [...]
Read full post »

Visitors to Pinoytimes

Start of StatCounter Code

End of StatCounter Code

Page added on March 14, 2014

Email This Post Printable version

Print This Post

BULLYING

What is bullying?

Bullying is acting in ways that scare or harm another person. Kids who bully usually pick on someone who is weaker or more alone, and they repeat the actions over and over. Bullying starts in elementary school and becomes most common in middle school. By high school, it is less common but still occurs.

Bullying can take many forms, including:

Physical harm, such as hitting, shoving, or tripping.
Emotional harm, such as making fun of the way a child acts, looks, or talks. Writing mean things about someone in emails or online journals (blogs) is also bullying.

Girls who bully are more likely to do so in emotional ways. Boys who bully often do so in both physical and emotional ways. For example:

A girl may form a group and exclude another girl or gossip about her.
A boy may shove another boy and call him names.

Both boys and girls take part in “cyberbullying.” This means using high-tech devices to spread rumours or to send hurtful messages or pictures. Emotional bullying doesn’t leave bruises, but the damage is just as real. If you think your child is being bullied—or is bullying someone else—take action to stop the abuse.

Why is it important to stop bullying?

Bullying is a serious problem for all children involved. Kids who are bullied are more likely to feel bad about themselves and be depressed. They may fear or lose interest in going to school. Sometimes they take extreme measures, which can lead to tragic results. They may carry weapons, use violence to get revenge, or try to harm themselves. Kids who bully others are more likely to drop out of school, have drug and alcohol problems, and break the law.

What are the traits of children who bully?

Children who bully are often physically strong. They may bully because they like the feeling of power. They may be kids who do things without thinking first and may not follow rules. These boys and girls have not learned to think about the feelings of other people. Kids who physically bully others sometimes come from homes where adults fight or hurt each other. They may pick on other kids because they have been bullied themselves. Children who bully need counselling. It can help them understand why they act as they do. And it can teach them how to interact with others in more positive ways. Family counselling is especially helpful for these children.

How do children who are bullied act?

Children who are bullied are often quiet and shy. They may have few friends and find it hard to stand up for themselves. They may begin to think that they deserve the abuse.

What can children do if they are bullied?

Children are often scared and angry when they are bullied. They may not know what to do. Teach them to:

Talk back. Say, “Leave me alone,” or “You don’t scare me.” Have your child practice saying this in a calm, strong voice.
Walk away. Don’t run, even if you are afraid.
Tell an adult. A parent or teacher can then take steps to stop the bullying.

What can you do to stop bullying?

Bullying can be stopped if people pay attention and take action.

Bullying most often occurs in school, and it is most common in schools where students are not well supervised. If bullying is happening at your child’s school, talk to the principal or vice principal. Urge the school to adopt a no-bullying policy. All children should know that those who bully will be punished. Children who are bullied should be supported and protected.

As a parent, you can help your child get involved in new hobbies or groups, such as school clubs or church youth groups. Being part of a group can help reduce bullying. Having friends can help a child have a better self-image. Kids can help keep other kids from being bullied. If you are a kid, don’t let yourself be part of the problem.

Speak up when you see someone else being picked on. It can help to say something like, “Cut it out. That’s not funny.” If this is too hard or scary to do, walk away and tell an adult.
If someone sends you a mean email about another person, don’t forward it to others. Print it out and show it to an adult.

What can schools do to stop bullying?

Schools play a critical role in stopping bullying, because most aggression happens on school grounds during recess, in lunch rooms, or in bathrooms. Schools should have and enforce zero-tolerance programs that make it clear that bullying won’t be tolerated.

School-based programs can help reduce bullying when they:

Raise awareness of bullying through school assemblies and classroom discussion of the problem. These conversations should include teaching healthy ways to control anger. They should also teach the value of cooperation, positive communication skills, and friendship.
Have peers help settle an incident and talk with all students involved.
Increase parents’ and teachers’ involvement.
Increase supervision of children on school grounds, especially when they are out of the classroom.
Form clear rules about behaviour that will not be tolerated.
Provide support and protection for children who are bullied.

You can help your child’s school develop bullying policies by becoming involved in parent-teacher organizations (PTO or PTA) and by volunteering to help teachers.

In the classroom, teachers should make it clear that bullying will not be tolerated. Teachers must be prepared to follow through with consequences if bullying occurs. Doing so sends the message that adults are serious about the problem. It also encourages children who are not involved in bullying to report any incidents they see. Conferences can be held—separately or together—with the parents of both children involved in bullying incidents. School-based programs are one piece of a larger plan to help children understand the importance of treating one another with kindness and respect.

Where can a child get some help?

Kids Help Phone is a free, anonymous and confidential phone and on-line professional counselling service for youth. Big or small concerns. 24/7, 365 days a year. 1-800-668-6868, http://kidshelpphone.ca

Other places to get some help:

Alberta twenty-four hour helpline for advice or support on bullying – 1-888-456-2323
Alberta Family Violence toll free info line 310-1818
Child Abuse Hot Line 1-800-387-KIDS (5437)

To learn more, contact your doctor or speak to a nurse 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling: Alberta Health Link toll free at 1-866-408-LINK (5465). Mandarin Health Link Calgary at 403-943-1554, Cantonese Health Link Calgary at 403-943-1556

Source: My Health Alberta website, https://MyHealth.Alberta.ca

BULLYING

pinoytimes.ca © 2009