Blog

16thMar2016

Anti-Bullying Resources: Websites That Help Parents, Teens and Children Deal with Bullying

Back in 1530, bullies were synonymous with the Dutch term for lover. In the 17^th century the word started to take on a more sinister meaning; describing “harassers of the weak.” It wasn’t until 1710 that the verb “to bully” was introduced to the world.

With centuries of bullying baggage we have acquired as people, it’s no wonder that we are still at a loss when trying to deal with this age-old form of abuse. In an effort to #StopBullyingNow, we want to supply parents, teens and children with helpful anti-bullying resources.

Anti-Bullying Resources to help #StopBullyingNow

The Facts of Bullying

StopBullying.org defines bullying as, “… unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.”

Did you know?

• 1 out of every 4 students report being bullied during the school year.
• 160,000 kids miss school each day for fear of being bullied.
• Every 7 minutes a child is being bullied.
• 1 out of every 10 students drop out of school due to bullying.

Bullying can lead to social, psychological and mental disorders. In severe cases, it can also lead to physical harm or injury to the victim. The long-term effects are not only seen in victims of bullying, but also in the actual bully’s overall health as well.

The National Institute of Child Health and Child Development (NICHD), shares, “Studies also show that anyone involved with bullying—those who bully others, those who are bullied, and those who bully and are bullied—are at increased risk for depression.”

These statistics shows us that bullying is, quite literally, all around us. Although these facts may be unpleasant, knowing how to recognize bullying will allow you to make a stand when you see it. Knowing these helpful resources will also give you the tools you will need to combat against bullying.

Anti-Bullying Resources for Parents

As a mother or a father, you know that a warm forehead is the indicator that your child has a fever and is ill. As a parent, you know the location of that super ticklish spot on your child’s neck that will have them roaring with uncontrollably laughter. However, can you say with confidence that you know the warning signs to look out for that indicate your child may be a victim of bullying?

The majority of children will not turn to their parents when they are bullied. It is up to parents to be proactive in their child’s social lives. Here are some great resources to better understand bullying from a parent’s point of view.

The internet has become an increasingly popular platform for bullies to reach their victims outside of school as well. For further information on cyberbullying, take a look at our recent article published, Our Bullying Hotline Brings You 5 Signs Your Child is Being Cyberbullied.

Anti-Bullying Resources for Teens

According to statistics from Family First Aid, “about 30 percent of teenagers in the U.S. have been involved in bullying, either as a bully or as a victim of teenage bullying.” As if the teen years weren’t hard enough, some teens are faced with daily humiliating bullying tactics.

Pacer Center’s Teens Against Bullying is a website that was created for teens by teens. The group’s mission is to educate teens on how to recognize and prevent bullying. Here are some helpful anti-bullying resources that are specifically geared towards helping teens.

If you are teen that is not sure how to handle situations that involve a form of bullying, it’s always recommended to reach out and talk to someone. You can either speak with your parents, teachers, counselors or even your close friends. Just know, you are not alone.

Anti-Bullying Resources for Children

It is hard for young children to access the resources they need to help them with bullying; they need their parents and teachers to proactively help. You can never start too early when discussing bully behavior with your children. Since they are so young and are new to social interactions, they need you to hold their hand through understanding bullying.

Here are great resources to provide to your small children so they can understand from an early age how bullying hurts everyone involved.

Try implementing a daily or weekly meeting with your small child at home to discuss social interactions. Ask your small child to share a story from their day and pay attention for any warning signs that they are either a bully or a victim of bullying. This quick meeting can create open communication between you and your child at a young age.

An Anonymous Bullying Hotline in Your Area

We host an anonymous bullying hotline for many communities. Anti-bullying resources like anonymous hotlines are available all over the country and you can usually find one at your next PTA meeting.

If your school does not provide a toll free or local hotline for help with bullying, we may be able to help. Shoot us a confidential message here or call us anonymously at 1-800-785-6161 to suggest that we contact your school and see if we could help bring an anti-bullying hotline to your district.