Bullies are very cunning people and are expert at getting away with the things that they do.
Bullying can go on anywhere, including at school or after school activities, but it’s the way it’s dealt with which makes the difference between life being tolerable or a misery for those being bullied.
Bullying includes things like:
- People calling you names
- Making things up to get you into trouble
- Hitting, pinching, biting, pushing and shoving
- Taking things away from you
- Damaging your belongings
- Stealing your money
- Taking your friends away from you
- Posting insulting messages on the Facebook or Twitter
- Spreading rumours
- Making silent or abusive phone calls
- Sending you offensive phone texts
The bullies will have worked out what buttons to push to make you upset.
They may make remarks about:
- Your weight
- Your looks
- The colour of your hair
- Your schoolwork
- If you work hard
- If you have a disability
- If you are a different religion, colour or culture
- If you wear spectacles or a hearing aid
So how do you solve the problem?
It is important to tell a friend, tell a teacher or tell your parents if you are being bullied. The bullying won’t stop unless you do. If you don’t feel you can do it in person it might be easier to write a note to your parents explaining how you feel, or perhaps it might be easier to confide in someone outside your immediate family, like a grandparent, aunt, uncle or cousin.
Also tell your form tutor what is going on. If you are worried about tell then, you could stay behind on the pretext of needing help with some work. If you don’t feel you can do that, then go to the medical room and speak to the school nurse.
If a teacher catches the bullies red-handed you won’t get into bother from anyone for telling tales. Don’t be tempted to hit back at the bullies because you could get hurt or get into trouble. Remember hitting someone is an assault.
Make sure you stay in safe areas of the school at break and lunchtime, somewhere there are plenty of other people. Bullies don’t like witnesses. If you are hurt at school, tell a teacher immediately and ask for it to be written down. And make sure you tell your parents.
If people are making nasty remarks about you then it may be because they are jealous. Perhaps you’re better looking than they are or work harder or perhaps the teachers like you better. One way of dealing with remarks is simply to say …yeah, whatever, …. each time so that you show them that it isn’t having the effect of upsetting you in the way they think.
Bullying can make you feel sad
Bullying is very upsetting and if you feel you can’t cope, tell your parents. It may be that need to see a doctor who may be able to write a note for the school explaining the effect that bullying is having on your health.
Aikido training will give you the confidence to look after yourself and to cope with the bullies better.
If you have any worries about being bullied, or would like to talk about how you feel, Sensei Rich and Sensei Kev are always there for you.
For more information you go the Bullying UK website, which has lots of useful information that can help you.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is using the internet, email, online games or any digital technology to threaten, tease, upset or humiliate someone else. In order for someone’s actions to be considered cyberbullying, their behaviour must be:
- Intentional
- Occur more than once
- Cause harm to someone else (whether actual or perceived)
- Be conducted via a technologically-based source
Further information about cyberbullying can be found on the Childline website.
Aikido has helped me cope with a lot things that used to make me feel very sad