Bullying: What Is It and How Can You Handle It?

What Is Bullying?

Bullying is when kids are mean to other kids intentionally with the  goal of hurting their feelings and making them feel bad.  A bully might say mean things, grab kid's stuff, make fun of someone, leave a kid out of a group on purpose, and some even threaten or try to make someone do something they don't want to do.

Facts About Bullying

• Bullying occurs in every school. 
• In a recent survey 13% of kids admitted to bullying, 11% to being bullied, and 6% have been bullied and have also bullied others
• Studies show that most bullies have confidence and high self-esteem and like the feeling of power and control
• Bullies seem to make friends easily, usually pairing up with other who like to take part in bullying
• 60% of bullies have at least one criminal conviction because the behavior carries over in    to adulthood
• Bullies can be male or female
• The more bullies drain the self-esteem of others the better they feel
• Bullies can harm people physically, mentally and emotionally
• Bullies are sometimes bullied by other people
• Bullies are often angry or sad individuals who take out their emotions on other people
• Bullies often pick on someone they think they can have power over

What Do Bullies Do?

• Use put downs or tease
• Critisize
• Gossip
• Physically attack
• Exclude someone on purpose
• Email/text/IM mean things to them or to the person's peers

How to Handle It

• Avoid run-in with bully if possible

1. Don't give him/her a chance is possible, avoid them
2. Be brave- while you may not feel brave sometimes just acting brave is enough to deter a bully
3. Feel good about you- do what you can to look and feel your best
4. Get a Buddy and be a Buddy - make sure you have others around you and get involved if you see someone else being bullied

• If The Bully Does Something To You

1. Ignore the bully- pretend you don't hear them and walk away.  Bullies want a reaction so if you give no reaction this might stop the bullying
2. Stand up for Yourself- tell the bully "NO, Stop It!"  in a loud, strong voice.  If you do what a bully says they will likely continue bullying you
3. Don't Bully back- fighting back just satisfies a bully because it is a reaction to what he/she is doing to you
4. Don't Show Your Feelings- keep your mind occupied until you are out of the situation and you can let your feelings show.  Again, if the buly sees you are upset then he/she has gotten a reaction which is the goal
5. Tell an Adult- let adults know what is happening.  This is not tattling this is protecting yourself and others.  Bullying is wrong.

Aggressive vs. Assertive

• Aggression is about someone trying to make someone do something without thinking about their rights
• Assertiveness is about letting others know how you feel and waht you want.  It's letting people know your thoughts and feelings and being clear about what you want to do