Dealing with a Bully
Posted by Lisa Hendey in News on Tuesday, October 05, 2010 2:00 PM
One of the results of all of the recent media about teenage suicides is a heightened media discussion of the topic of bullying. Last night, I drifted off to sleep praying for all of the families who have been impacted by this situation. Bullying has been going on for years, but the advent of new technology has given bullies old and young new weapons in their arsenals. We hear now about “cyberbullying” and the havoc it’s wreaking in middle schools and high schools.
I’ve been thinking about my two boys, about times during their school careers when they fell prey to teasing or bullying. I also remember one episode when Eric was involved in an act in second grade that could definitely have been construed as bullying - I learned about his offense from another mother a few days after the event took place. When I asked his teacher why she hadn’t notified me of the boys’ transgression (there were multiple boys involved), she told me that she preferred to handle such situations within the classroom level if they weren’t too serious. Despite her calm attitude, I completely freaked out and Eric probably still remembers the serious discipline he received that week. Adam was once on the receiving end of a very mild form of bullying in first grade, but I still remember the anxiety I felt for weeks around the time of the events.
I’m wondering today if your children have been on the receiving end of bullying and how you’ve dealt with the situation. Do you speak with the teacher or the other parents directly? Do you withdraw your child from the situation entirely? Or do you chalk bullying up to a “real world” fact that toughens your kids up to deal with life? Tell me about it, and please share any suggestions you may have for moms who are currently struggling with this situation with their children.
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