It’s Time to Take a Stand Against Bullying

March 13, 2020

There is no question that bullying is a prevalent problem in schools now more than ever before. Bullying can take shape in many forms. This article serves to educate you on some of the key facts about bullying. We hope to work together in unity to rid society of this burden.

Types of bullying:

Verbal: Verbal bullying can present itself as name calling, teasing, putting someone down or threatening to cause someone harm. This form of bullying is often prevalent in the school yard, with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute’s (MCRI) Centre for Adolescent Health finding that approximately half of students in Years 3 to 5 report some level of bullying and more than 20 per cent are being bullied across two or even three years.

Physical: Poking, hitting, punching, kicking, spitting, tripping or pushing someone, breaking someone’s things, pulling faces or making rude hand signals is constituted as physical bullying.

Social: Lying, rumor-mongering, playing horrible jokes, leaving someone out on purpose and embarrassing someone in public.

Cyberbullying: Using technology to hurt someone else by sending hate messages, pictures or comments. In 2020, this form of bullying is of particular concern. Social media offers an opportunity for bullies to prey on their victims in an unmonitored and mostly uncensored environment . There is evidence that cyberbullying is on the rise, and is something that can have a terrible impact on children, in extreme cases leading to suicide.

Now that we understand the various types of bullying, we will look at ways we can work together to fix this problem. It is important to recognise the ‘signs’ so that you can be sure to act before it’s too late!

Know the signs. You know your child best, so be sure to take note of any out-of-character behaviour.
Communicate: Having open communication with your child can really help to get to the bottom of underlying bullying issues. It is important to create a ‘safe zone’ where your child can confidentially raise issues that they’re facing and feel supported.
Connect: Connecting with your child’s teacher and voicing your concerns is essential. Teachers are best equipped with strategies to combat bullying and resolve issues before they become consequential.
Teach: Teach kindness. Being kind to one another goes a long way and this is something that should be instilled in our children from a young age, to set the foundation for positive interactions.

Bullying is no joke and at My School Connect, we are taking a stand against it. We believe that the key to eradicating bullying is to educate parents, teachers and children. For further information, or if your child is experiencing bullying and you would like to learn more, head to: https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/bullying