Bullying Recently in September a 12 year old girl climbed to the top of a tower in an abandoned concrete plant in Florida and jumped to her death. She was a victim of bullying. The news reports on the suicide describe the relentless harassment of the girl—in person and online through Facebook—by other teenage girls. Also striking about this story was what was not mentioned: parents and school. Is there bullying in Eagle Lake? You may think not; but THERE CERTAINLY IS. I know this for a fact. Bullying has been around for years. With the increase in social networking, aka Facebook, bullying has gone to new heights of terror. Approximately one-half of the children in school have been bullied in one way or another. The StopBullying.gov site reports some behavioral changes: Unexplainable injuries; lost clothing, books, electronics; frequent illnesses, difficulty sleeping, loss of friends; or self destructive behaviors. Children may not want to report bullying because: they feel helpless; fear retribution; feel humiliated; or feel no one cares or understands. So, what can be done? Why were the “parents” and “school” NOT mentioned in the article about the 12 year old? First and foremost, parents or caregivers must TALK to their children and become INVOLVED in their daily life and their friends. How else will you know what is going on? Help your children understand that bullying is not acceptable and how to report it, stand up to it, and most importantly, get you, the parent, involved. Please let us know if you notice any changes in your child’s demeanor, eating or sleeping habits. Also get involved with the school. Know who their teachers are and communicate with your child’s teacher. Bob Rice, FNP [email protected]
Posted on: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 15:45:09 +0000
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