One Life Too Many; The Effect of Bullying

     Bullying has been a topic of discussion for the CNN poll taker.  On 10/4/10 results of the high school bullying stats were revealed.  Teens personally who were subjected to bullying actions was stated as 1/3 who were aware of actions. Those polled said their friends were subjected to bullying behaviors that doubled that figure to 2/3.

     What is bullying?  A person who is a bully is described as one who ridicules, humiliates, verbally or physically threatens another.  This can be done online or in person.  Young adults have peers close by so the safe zone is compromised to include the lasting result of the assault of words or actions.  The process includes embarrassment and fear of not being accepted on the grounds of what the bully has said or pointed out.

     Younger pre-teens can be affected monumentally by bullying behavior to the point of not wanting to face another activity with the bully, which results in absenteeism or skipping school to avoid altercations with the bully.  Some children are so effected by a bully they lose self esteem, believing the bully is saying the truth about them, even though it is not true.

     Part of that poll also asked adults about bullying behavior in their neighborhoods.  Nineteen percent said none of the children in their neighborhoods had been subjected to bullying behavior.  51 % of the adults surveyed claim bullying was a minor problem.  30 % of the adults polled said bullying was a major problem in schools in their neighborhoods.

     It is suggested, by the author, that no one in the neighborhood knows enough about bullying, the teens, or for that matter, the mental stress any one child is able to absorb or is being subjected to for an adequate polling with any honesty.  Some bullying goes untold by the child for one reason or another.

     Adults polled also reflected that children will be children and they need to handle that bullying behavior themselves.  A child is often times unable to know exactly what to do in crisis situations when the bullying behavior is being thrown at them.

    The author was bullied in 3 rd grade by two older, taller and intimidating youths.  With the signs listed they will not totally cover all activities for parents to be aware of, but can be helpful  Adults process assault of words or pushing very different than a child does, so your child or the one you see being bullied, need adult intervention.  Some schools don’t have enough personnel to adequately see all the wrong doings that bullies perform.  Bullies are sneaky, so they might get by with bullying for a long time before they are caught.