Bully Prevention Month share

October is Bullying Prevention Month

Since 2006 during October, individuals across the entire world make the extra effort to bring awareness, education and to change the culture around bullying and bullying prevention. Stopbullying.gov provides information on how to talk about bullying, prevention in school, and prevention in the community. According to stopbullying.gov, here are some signs to look for regarding whether a child is being bullied, is a bully, and why they may not ask for help.

What are some of the signs that a child is being bullied?

• Unexplainable injuries
• Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
• Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
• Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
• Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
• Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
• Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
• Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem
• Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide

What are the signs that a child is bullying others?

• Get into physical or verbal fights
• Have friends who bully others
• Are increasingly aggressive
• Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently
• Have unexplained extra money or new belongings
• Blame others for their problems
• Don’t accept responsibility for their actions
• Are competitive and worry about their reputation or popularity

Why don’t kids ask for help?

• Bullying can make a child feel helpless. Kids may want to handle it on their own to feel in control again. They may fear being seen as weak or a tattletale.
• Kids may fear backlash from the kid who bullied them.
• Bullying can be a humiliating experience. Kids may not want adults to know what is being said about them, whether true or false. They may also fear that adults will judge them or punish them for being weak.
• Kids who are bullied may already feel socially isolated. They may feel like no one cares or could understand.
• Kids may fear being rejected by their peers. Friends can help protect kids from bullying, and kids can fear losing this support.

I PLEDGE TO:

• Help stop bullying by not bullying others

• Report bullying that I see or experience to my school and my parents

• Help someone I see who is being bullied

• Spread the word about bullying awareness

• Share information and resources about bullying prevention and response

• Be proud of who I am and celebrate our differences

Take the Pledge here

Click here for the toolkit