“A child’s strength in overcoming teenagehood is shown in the excitement to go to school every day. But sometimes, it is forced.” – Carey Thomas John
Bullying occurs when words or actions are repeatedly used to harm someone. While there are times we can accidentally say or do hurtful things, it’s important to know that bullying is deliberate. It’s done on purpose to make a person feel intimidated, threatened or powerless.
Reasons Teenagers Bully
There are many reasons why teens bully each other. Most common reasons include:
1. The need to feel powerful and in control
2. To cope with unhappiness or anger
3. Peer pressure
4. Having little empathy for others
5. To deal with low self-esteem.
It should be noted that it’s possible a child that engages in bullying does so to ‘feed’ on another person’s weakness. Most times, this attitude is born from what the child goes through at home; what the child’s parents teach him or her. In some cases, the parents themselves are primarily bullies, who unknowingly teach their kids destructive behaviours.
Forms of Bullying
Bullying can be more than just nasty looks and teasing. It can come in different forms, including:
1. Name-calling.
2. Spreading of rumours or lies.
3. Physical intimidation or harassment.
4. Targeting a person’s sexuality, religion, race, gender or disability.
5. Singling a person out to make them feel alone, different or inferior.
Signs Your Child is a Victim of Bullying
If your child is being bullied, the following are things you should notice as responsible parents:
1. Emotional changes: Sudden shifts in mood, increased irritability, or signs of depression and anxiety.
2. Withdrawal: When your teen becomes isolated or avoids social interactions they once enjoyed.
3. Body pain: Frequent headaches, stomachaches, or other unexplained physical symptoms.
4. Academic decline: A significant drop in school performance or engagement.
5. Unexplained damaged belongings: Damaged or missing personal items without a clear explanation.
6. Changes in friendship: Loss of friends or difficulty making new ones.
7. Reluctance to go to school: Expressing fear or reluctance about attending school.
8. Unusual behaviour after using technology: If the teen seems upset or distressed after using their phone or computer.
9. Cyberbullying or excessive negative comments online.
10. Unexplained injuries: Bruises or injuries they cannot explain.
Bullying Statistics shows that:
1. 46% of teens reported being cyberbullied at least once.
2. 60% of school shooters reported being bullied in person or online.
3. 22% of students get bullied during each school year.
4. 43%-48% of students reported that they would not intervene in bullying.
5. At 79%, verbal harassment is the most common form of bullying at school.
6. 84% of bullying in the UK happens through devices such as mobile phones or laptops.
7. At 53.8%, Hispanics are bullied the most of all races at work.
8. 30% of US workers are victims of bullies.
9. Rude name-calling is the most common form of child cyberbullying (32%).
Remember, it doesn’t happen to me is not the same as it cannot happen to me. Be responsible towards any bullying act by and towards your children.
