Bullying Advice for Kids

How a Bully Becomes a Bully:

• He or she is angry. Someone might have bullied him in the past
• He or she has low self-esteem. He or she thinks controlling you will help them feel better about themselves.
• He or she might have been exposed to a lot of violence in the media. (TV, movies, video games). A lot of movies make violence look cool, but if you look closer, the “good guy” is always cooler!
• His or her friends, or peers, could be a “bad” influence, talking him or her into doing things he or she may, or may not understand are wrong.
• His or her caretakers might have lacked in supervision. They might have been too busy to teach him how wrong it is to hurt others, or maybe they spoiled him or her, making him or her think they can do anything they want, including bullying!

What to do About Bullies:

• Inform your teachers and parents. If his/her bullying is physical or violent, tell them not to give your name, that could make the bully more angry, and then they will come after you even harder.
• Travel to school or social events in groups. Don’t walk alone.
• Avoid the bully at all costs.
• Ignore him/her. That will take away the power they thing they have over you. They’ll get bored, and go look for someone else to pick on.
• Confront him/her with the problem. Do this only if the bullying is mental, not physical. Maybe you can explain how it makes you feel. If they don’t care, and continue to bully you, report them, and avoid them.
• Take a safety training workshop. This should only be used as a last resort (in self-defense). Using this to show off for your friends, or simply because they made you angry, could lead to law suits, and YOU become a bully.

Other Resources: Bullying Advice for Kids