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Dealing With Bullies
What is bullying? “Bullying is when one or more children repeatedly hurt another child” Bullying can be done using: - Physical Actions, such as hitting, pushing, kicking, pinching, restraining. - Indirect Actions, such as intentionally leaving someone out, gossiping, spreading rumors, making someone uncomfortable or scared. Did you know that bullying occurs every 7 seconds and lasts about 37 seconds? How do you know if you’re being bullied? Do you repeatedly… - Get teased in a mean way? - Get made fun of and laughed at in an unfriendly way? - Get picked on, pushed around, shoved, punched, hit or kicked? - Have your books, money or other belongings taken, damaged or scattered around? - Have bruises, injuries, cuts, scratches or torn clothing as a result of someone else? - Spend a lot of time alone, feel left out or excluded by your peers? Did you know that by age 24, 60% of identified bullies have a criminal record? How do you prevent being bullied? You need to TELL someone about it! -Make adults aware of the situation and involve them - If bullying is occurring at school, inform a teacher, principal, guidance counselor or someone else you trust. - Do not look like a victim. Stay calm with head up, shoulders back, eyes straight ahead with an unconcerned facial expression. - Ignore the bully. Do not look at or talk with the bully. Walk away quickly and do something else. - If the bully is dangerous, leave and get help! Did you know that most bullying goes unreported? How to talk to a bully: If you can’t or don’t want to ignore the bully, try using a calm voice and good eye contact and… - Tell the bully what you don’t like - Tell them how their behavior makes you feel - Tell them what behavior you want - Tell them what will happen if they do not stop. Did you know that 85% of bullying happens in front of peers, and as a result peers have the most power to make positive change. - Do not show support for the bully by laughing, cheering, or joining in. - Don’t give the bully an audience. Walk away. - Support the victim, not the bully - Talk to a trusted adult if you have a concern about a friend or classmate. - Learn more about bullying and its effects. - Take the attitude that bullying is not ok. - Think of how you would feel if you were in the victim’s position. Did you know that the effects of bullying can last a lifetime? Resources for kids: Teen Touch – 1-800-563-8336 Kid’s Help Phone – 1-800-668-6868 Bullying Website – www.bullying.org *All information taken from the pamphlet “A Kid’s Guide to Bullying” put out by the Brandon School Division.* |