“Just ignore it.” Three little well-intentioned words adults have said and generations of kids have heard about bullying.
Well, it's time to ignore that advice. Why?
“Just ignore it” loosely translates into:
• “It’s not that big a deal.”
• “You're tougher than that.”
• “It will just go away if you pretend it isn't happening.”
• “It is just part of growing up.”
In other words, “there’s nothing you can do.” And that’s just not true. When a kid tells an adult about bullying, it’s a great opportunity to talk about what can be done. It’s a chance to find responses that are appropriate for the situation and the kid’s comfort level.
Does anything go away by ignoring it? Homework doesn’t. Bills don’t. And neither does bullying.
THE END OF BULLYING BEGINS WITH YOU! Founded in 2006, PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center actively leads social change, so that bullying is no longer considered an accepted childhood rite of passage. PACER provides innovative resources for students, parents, educators, and others, and recognizes bullying as a serious community issue that impacts education, physical and emotional health, and the safety and well-being of students.
Author
- Julie Hertzog, Director, PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center
- PACER became involved in bullying prevention efforts in response to research that indicated students with disabilities are bullied at a significantly higher rate than their peers. While many of PACER's resources have an emphasis on students with disabilities—they are designed to by used by all students—those with disabilities and those without disabilities; those that are bullied, those that witness bullying and those that bully.
Subscribe To This Blog
Posts
All Comments