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It's important to know how to handle these issues by the time you enter Middle School, so read on:
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So, you aren't someone who bullies others, and you haven't been bullied yourself. But if you see
it happening to others, you can help put a stop to it. In order to stop bullying, everyone needs to lend a hand and get involved!
And even though it might be easier to stand by and watch (or try to ignore the bullying), just remember, we all need a little
help from time to time! Think about how you might feel if the bullying was happening to YOU. There are all kinds of great
things you can do to help. So the next time you see someone being bullied, try one (or more) of these ideas and make a real
difference!
Report the bullying to an adult. Many kids who are bullied are scared
to tell an adult about it (especially a teacher or principal), because they are afraid the person bullying them will find
out and the bullying will just get worse. That's where you come in. Even if it's a little scary for you to tell an adult about
bullying that you see, it's the right thing to do. It's not tattling—you're helping someone out. Who should you tell?
You could tell your teacher, school counselor, school nurse, parents, coach, or any adult you feel comfortable talking with.
It might be a little less scary if you ask a friend to go along with you. Be sure to tell the adult exactly what happened—who
was bullied, who did the bullying, and where and when it happened. If you're not sure if another kid is being bullied but
you think they probably are—it's good to report that, too. Most adults really care about bullying and will be VERY glad
that you told them about it. If you told an adult and you don't think they did anything about the bullying (or if it isn't
getting any better), find another adult to tell.
Support someone who is being bullied.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for a person who is being bullied is just to be there for him or her and be a friend.
Whether this means agreeing to walk home with him or her after school, sitting with him or her on the bus or at lunch, trying
to include him or her in your school or social activities, or just spending some time with him or her and trying to understand
what he or she is going through, it will make a huge difference! Although these may seem like small things to you, they will
show a kid who is being bullied that you care about him or her and the problems he or she is facing. And that can be a BIG
help!
Stand up to the person doing the bullying. If you feel safe doing this, tell
a person who is bullying that what he or she is doing is wrong and that he or she should stop. Keep it simple. You could just
say, "Ben, cut it out. Nobody thinks that's funny." If you can, get some friends to join you. When kids who bully see that
other kids don't think it's cool, they are more likely to stop. Just be sure you don't bully them back! It's not easy to stand
up to kids who may be bigger and stronger than you or really popular, so if you're not comfortable doing this, that's OK.
(But be sure to tell an adult!)
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