October is National Bullying Prevention Month. It’s unfortunate that we need a whole month dedicated to bully prevention but sadly bullying is a huge, very real, very common, almost epidemic problem. This is not a problem that is local to any one place, it is global. It’s everywhere from schools to sports to church, anywhere you look.
This is for my “bestie”
A particular situation that is near and dear to my heart, a situation that has been going on much longer than most are aware of. A situation based in Hagerstown, Maryland with my best friend and her son has inspired me to write this.
“3 separate incidents! One day! A punk held my sons forehead to his chest and took a broken pencil to my child’s throat saying “do you know how easy I could slit your throat right now?” Two periods later he was tripped, falling down to the ground.. books and all. Next period his iPad stomped on, screen broke and they hid it from him! I am disgusted!”
Watching my best friend watch her son slowly start to question his confidence, kills me, it’s even harder being 8 hours away and only being able to support them through text messaging and phone calls. My heart literally felt as if it was going to break into a million pieces when she text me the other day saying a child had a pencil against Landyn’s throat threatening to slice it.
Step up!
How do you hear this as a parent, aunt/uncle, grandparent, teacher, or authority figure and not do anything? This is unacceptable and heartbreaking!
We have to teach our children right from wrong. All people are people. All people have feelings. It is simply a disservice to allow your child to make someone else’s day a living hell. Do people even stop to think about the toll their actions might take on someone? A person’s entire character, outlook on life, and level of confidence, is directly influenced by others’ toxic behavior.
“That’s just what kids do”
Do not dismiss your child’s behavior because “that’s just what kid’s do.” Truly, it’s not what kids do, it’s what assholes do! Not only is your child growing up, but also they’re growing up to become someone terrible.
Your child should never be the reason that other children don’t want to go to school. Condemning a child’s bad behavior makes you just as bad as the kid. Whether you’re a mom, dad, aunt/uncle, grandparent, teacher, or authority figure to any bully in any way, you need to be the one showing bullies the right way to act and treat others.
If you are a parent, administrator, or anything in between, I hope you realize how influential you are in your children’s lives on this matter. We all need to step up when our kids are being hurt or threatened or admit when our child is the one being the bully and put an end to it!
When a child is suicidal and NOTHING is being done that is a MAJOR PROBLEM! It is our responsibility to make sure any level of bullying is stopped before it even arises. I want to see this smile on this kid again. You shouldn’t have to fear going to school.
We need to make sure every child knows, being kind is the first step to changing the world. October is a great month to get involved. Speak up, speak out! Stop the stigma! Stomp out bullying! Be kind! BE YOU!
Be A Bestie Not A Bully!
We are the only ones that can show our children how to treat others and it’s a constant thing that we must keep working on as they grow.