Mehn, I hate bullying. Not just casually, I genuinely have a deep dislike for bullies in any form. It’s one of those things that immediately tells you a lot about a person, and none of it is good and what ive come to realise having become an adult now is that bullying doesnt just end in classrooms or schooling systems. It just evolves. You’ll find the same behavior showing up later in workplaces, social spaces, even online it just takes on a more subtle or social form.
That’s why I think it’s important to take it seriously early on, especially in schools where it often begins. Unfortunately, schools are not always as innocent as they want to appear in this issue. In many cases, they are complicit, either directly or indirectly. Some schools turn a blind eye to bullying because the students involved come from influential families, or because they don’t want anything to damage the school’s reputation. That kind of silence only empowers bullies and isolates victims even more. It sends the message that some people can get away with harmful behavior, and that’s a dangerous lesson to teach young people.
Parents also have a role to play, even if it’s sometimes less obvious. A lot of bullying situations go unnoticed because children don’t feel comfortable speaking up. That’s why it’s important for parents to build a strong, open relationship with their kids. When a child feels safe enough to talk about what they’re going through, it becomes much easier to step in early. Behavioral changes, like withdrawal, sudden fear/reluctance of going to school, anger, or even silence should never be ignored. Those are often signs that something deeper is going on.
If I had a child who was being bullied, my first priority would be to make sure they know they’re not alone and that it’s not something they should be ashamed of. I’d encourage them to speak up both to me and to someone in authority at school. At the same time, I wouldn’t just stop at advice. I’d take action, id literally go crazy, id tear that school up if i have to, id make sure the issue isn’t swept under the rug and if my child ever becomes a bully.......
I’d also teach my child confidence and self-worth, of course not in a way that encourages aggression, but in a way that helps them stand firm and not internalize the negativity being thrown at them. Knowing when to walk away, when to report, and how to respond assertively is important.
At the end of the day, their is nothing a bully like more than silence , bullying thrives in silence and inaction. The more we ignore it, the more it grows. Whether as individuals, parents, or institutions, there has to be a willingness to confront it directly.