Post by allieb on Sept 14, 2008 19:33:54 GMT -5
When someone is bullied, it leaves invisible scars that cannot be erased by “sorry”, and “ignore it”. It is embarrassing enough for a child to have to confront their parents about being bullied. When a child is reaching out for help, they are looking for a solution to fix the problem, but if they receive no help they will feel even more hurt and rejected. It is definitely not enough for a parent to tell their child to ignore their pain, because that simply does not work. It is especially not helpful to their child who will look for alternative ways to fix the problem, such as Peter did in the novel Nineteen Minutes. Peter felt trapped by bulling and felt that he could not turn to his parents for help, and after years of hurt he created a plan to commit a violent school shooting(first couple chapters). From personal experience, going to a parent for help at school is a little humiliating, and could make one feel weak.
If a child has the courage to go to their parents for help, they assume they will actually receive it. It does make a difference if the parent suggests ignoring the problem. It could make their son or daughter feel weaker, with no alternative. It is hard for shy students who do not easily integrate to become tougher. It is hard for anyone to become tougher. By becoming tougher one has to train themselves not to be hurt by things that are hurtful, such as words or actions. Also, they would have to find the courage to talk to more people and try to develop friends. For a shy person to achieve this task would be extremely difficult. However, if they did it would help them to endure bullying, not eliminate it.
If a parent knows their child is being bullied, and has an actual solution to the problem they should offer helpful advice. However, do not offer useless advice that could potentially hurt your child more such as, “ignore it”. By hearing the words from your mouth doesn’t make it so. If a teacher or principal witnesses bullying, they should address the matter as delicately as possible. In some cases, punishing the bully only provokes them more, forcing them to take their anger out on another classmate, which would not fix the problem only worsen it. If a peer notices another student being bullied, they should help at all costs, because the truth is they are the only ones who could help the situation. Popularity derives from the thought of your peers. If one bullied student is being back up by their friends or anyone of their peers, it would make the bully look stupid. The more students who stand up against that bully the more support the victim has, and the less support the bully has. This statement, “strength in numbers” is true. That is the most effective way to eliminate bullying.
If a child has the courage to go to their parents for help, they assume they will actually receive it. It does make a difference if the parent suggests ignoring the problem. It could make their son or daughter feel weaker, with no alternative. It is hard for shy students who do not easily integrate to become tougher. It is hard for anyone to become tougher. By becoming tougher one has to train themselves not to be hurt by things that are hurtful, such as words or actions. Also, they would have to find the courage to talk to more people and try to develop friends. For a shy person to achieve this task would be extremely difficult. However, if they did it would help them to endure bullying, not eliminate it.
If a parent knows their child is being bullied, and has an actual solution to the problem they should offer helpful advice. However, do not offer useless advice that could potentially hurt your child more such as, “ignore it”. By hearing the words from your mouth doesn’t make it so. If a teacher or principal witnesses bullying, they should address the matter as delicately as possible. In some cases, punishing the bully only provokes them more, forcing them to take their anger out on another classmate, which would not fix the problem only worsen it. If a peer notices another student being bullied, they should help at all costs, because the truth is they are the only ones who could help the situation. Popularity derives from the thought of your peers. If one bullied student is being back up by their friends or anyone of their peers, it would make the bully look stupid. The more students who stand up against that bully the more support the victim has, and the less support the bully has. This statement, “strength in numbers” is true. That is the most effective way to eliminate bullying.