Don’t take bullying sitting down

Being  bullied is every child’s nightmare. There is little worse than being intimidated at school or at home. These days that extends beyond being bullied in person — people are bullied online every day and it’s just as damaging. 

Bullying threatens one’s sense of well-being, both physically and mentally. Bullying can include behavior such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally or excluding someone from a group on purpose, according to one website. It occurs when there’s an imbalance of power. That is why anti-bullying tactics are so important, especially in our schools.

The North East (Webutuck) Central School District held an anti-bullying presentation last week aimed at helping our children recognize, report and resist bullies wherever possible. Providing such tools at an early age is vital, as those lessons remain with us through life.

It’s  great to see our school districts place a premium on bullying awareness and prevention. Arming students with the knowledge that it’s not OK to intimidate someone — in any way — is part of the battle. Once such issues are addressed, students can then feel as if they’re in a safe environment to learn, and that’s what being in school is all about.

Without that sense of security, children will forever be looking over their shoulders when walking in the halls or down the street. They will forever be haunted by the fear that their bully lurks around the next corner. And there are good chances that they will be forever scarred by such fears, even into adulthood.

There’s no place for bullies in our world. They may start off young in the schoolyards, but bullies grow into abusers of all kinds — some criminal and some not, but all responsible for instilling fear and making life miserable for their victims. We need to send a message to bullies and would-be bullies that such behavior is not acceptable. We need to show those who have been victimized that they have support and that they have security — especially when they’re so young and still in school. 

Let’s face it, we can’t be with our children around the clock. We have to trust that their welfare is being looked after when they’re in school during the day, after school during activities, and at home when they surf the web or text with schoolmates. But having trust does not equate to being complacent — parents and guardians need to be fully aware that bullying exists, even though it’s sometimes hard to accept.

And bullying does exist, and it can lead to extreme violent acts like suicide. Sometimes those being bullied feel they have no other escape — their world is just that painful. It’s a reality we’ve seen too many times before, and one we should strive to avoid at all costs.

Talk to your children. Ask them if things are OK at school, if they have any problems with anyone, if they ever feel like they’re being bullied. Explain that it’s not their fault. Let them also know that it’s not acceptable. Equip them with the tools needed to counter such intimidation and inform their teachers and administrators of your concerns. Encourage your children to speak up when they feel threatened, and then remember to comfort them. And always, always, encourage your schools to bring the issue out into the open. It’s only by recognizing the problem that we can hope to solve it.

For more on how to counteract bullying, check out some of the following websites: www.stopbullying.gov, www.justsayyes.org and www.youthalert.us.