In Case You Missed It: Bullying Prevention Resources

Photo:
stopbullying.gov

This week, while riding home on the late bus after a school activity, my daughter was hit in the face (near her eye) with a full bottle of Gatorade that was thrown at her by another student on the bus. The student who threw the bottle, immediately ran off the bus at her stop, with a few other kids. The bus driver was kind enough to re-route and bring her home first so we could look at her eye.

While my daughter's physical injury could be considered minor, she was very angry, upset, and a little intimidated. (This student is older, taller and more muscular than she is, due to natural body frame and athletic training.) I called the transportation department, as well as the school and I was impressed and grateful that both departments acted professionally and immediately to address the incident.

Last night, my daughter told me that she felt relieved after talking with the counselor and vice principal, but all week, she felt anxious and scared, because she thought this student was going to retaliate for her "telling" on [the student] and "getting [the other student] written up." (I explained to my daughter that the other student got written up because of the bottle throwing. Throwing a bottle was a choice; a write- up was the consequence. Getting hit in the eye was not a choice, but a consequence of another's reckless choice.)

For a moment, I was back in the 70's, also a 7th grader, with that feeling in my stomach, too shy and scared to tell my teachers about the mean and intimidating behavior I experienced from peers on the playground, in the hallway, and any other place that there was no adult supervision. I remembered how isolated I felt, feeling like I didn't fit in with any kids my own age.  Thankfully, and with some good family guidance, my daughter is way more confident, socially assertive than I was at that age, and even still, she carried that sick feeling in her stomach until the situation was addressed.

I knew back then, as my daughter knows now, that I had a family who cared and others around me who could help me learn how to overcome my social distresses. My daughter knows that she has resources and people in her life who can help her gain confidence, stay grounded and move forward with her hopes and dreams as well. I know some students (and adults) feel unsupported and lost and ultimately turn to solutions that just create more violence, pain and suffering. I would like to encourage everyone to keep those students and their families in mind and rather than judging them or the situation, let us try and learn something from our observations so we can prevent another child from turning to drugs, guns or suicide. This could happen to any of us, no matter who we are or where we come from.

I want to publicly thank those parents, families, teachers, students, bus drivers, and others who are supporting & educating both the victims and the aggressors respectively to move everyone towards more empowered, cooperative & peaceful interactions.

October is Bullying awareness month and I would like to include some resources for students, parents and educators. Please share the ones that resonate with you, with those you love & work with.

If you have another resource, please post it in the comments below.

Have a great weekend.

~Barbara


History of Bullying Prevention (With other links)

Teach Anti-Bullying Inc

Characteristics of Bullying

Helping Bystanders Speak Out

Bullying Prevalent in Children's Programming

Bullying and Siblings

Close the Gateway to Bullying

Building Social/Emotional Skills in Elementary Students

Five Ways to Stop Bullying and Move into Action

Resources and guides From The Pacer Center

Hard Battles (Suicide Prevention)

Kindness: A Gift you Pay Forward

Contact: Barbara@bodylogique.com



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