What is Bullying & How to Stop It

So as I have been praying, doing research, and thinking about our situation.  Obviously most resources I googled are not from lds.org. So this morning I decided to only search the church's site.  Here are the articles I came across that have quite a bit of information to help us help our Miss K.

The first one is from the Friend Magazine.  I felt this one helped quite a bit, since in elementary school, bullying is different from the middle or high schools.  It is titled Stop Bullying Now by Hilary M Hendricks.
It discusses what constitutes bullying.  "Bullying is hurting others by scaring them, leaving them out, making fun of them, using mean words, or harming them physically."
It then gives steps a child can take to help.
1. Tell an adult.
2. Stay in safe places.
3. Tell the bully to stop.
4. Remember your worth as a Child of God.
There are also things to do if you see a bully situation that you want to stop.
1. Don't go along.  (Boy, this one seems to be what DOES happen quite often.  Sometimes we may feel that if we don't go along, the bully will turn on us.)
2. Tell the bully to stop.
3. Tell an adult.
4. Be a friend.  (I know from my own experiences that just having a friend who I could team up with,  made the bully lose their power over us.) 

The next article is from the New Era.  This is basically the same advice, just at a more mature level.  How to Beat Bullying.  "Matt Watson, a therapist with LDS Family Services, says a behavior can be called bullying “when there’s fear and intimidation or when someone says ‘Stop,’ but the behavior continues. There’s no acknowledgment of the victim’s feelings.” Bullying can make people feel worthless, friendless, and alone." 
I was surprised that the advice given was similar, with a few exceptions, for teens.
What others can do.
1. Say something.
2. Tell an adult.
3. Reach out.
If you are being bullied.
1. Try to appear calm and confident.
2. Tell an adult.
3. Avoid being alone.
4. Don't blame yourself.
5. Forgive.

Pin It