The Issue of Bullying

It’s funny how you start to remember things from your own childhood after you have your own children. I’ve blocked out a lot of my childhood over the years so at times it can be quite surprising when I do remember things.

Bullying is a topic that is getting more and more attention. It is huge issue and a large concern for many parents. It’s devastating to find out that your child is the victim of bullying and possibly worse to find out that your child is a bully. There are many anti-bullying campaigns and the issue is being discussed more and more all the time.

I am thankful that there are as many resources available as there are now. When I was in elementary school the subject was never discussed and the resources were not available. As a child that was bullied I felt I had nowhere to turn for help. It seemed like bullying was just considered normal childhood teasing.

The first time I was bullied was in kindergarten, I tried going to my older sister for help. She was in the same play ground and saw what was happening. But she just laughed and basically told me to leave her alone. I guess maybe she felt intimidated as well being as it was older kids that were picking on me. By the end of the recess break, I had an intense headache and nausea from the experience.

The teasing was relentless and became violent on two other occasions. In grade one I was pushed off of the slide and broke an arm, a few years later I was brutally tackled in “flag” football (I wasn’t even close to the ball) and ended up with a broken collar bone. In each of these aggressive events, the teachers all told my Mom that they were accidents. So somehow I always ended up feeling like it was my fault.

I started some very destructive behaviors at a very young age. I am very blessed that shortly after my Dad left, my Mom moved us to a different town. This was the opportunity for me to reinvent myself, stop the destructive behaviors and start over.

I don’t think most people really understand the destructive forces of bullying. I think most people think that it’s just a matter of “sticking up” for yourself, but there’s really more to it than that. When you are bullied by a group – which is usually the situation – you really feel powerless. Imagine having six or more people chasing you around a playground, with no place to go, no one to jump in and help and no teachers in sight, how do you think you would feel. Would you be able to “stick up” for yourself?

I am very happy to see that there are many people who are working very hard to stop bullying and give the victims a “safe haven”, a place where they can talk about their experiences and get help. The Alberta Government has a couple of programs in place, and there are many other resources available as well. Many schools have programs in place as well. I hope these resources will help encourage everyone to understand what bullying is and how it affects people. I have faith that as people become more compassionate, that bullying will eventually become a thing of the past.

For some information and links on bullying visit: www.b-free.ca/links.html

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