Every year we take out our pink anti-bullying T-shirts and put them on. I like the T-shirts. They assert "Every day bullies depend on good people not doing the right thing." That's right--- bullies can't do what they do if everyone is looking around and making sure that everyone else is alright. It's about social responsibility. And as the T-shirts say: "Your culture---your school. Keep it safe." It's about everyone taking responsibility and keeping each other safe and speaking up when it isn't.
We've had our share of bullying. My additional needs daughter who is 12, finds comments about her disabilities especially cutting. Being called a retard is hardly a devastating remark, unless like her, you know that you don't know all you could and then it seems cruel. It's not her fault after all. She is trying to learn to ignore the negative comments, the "shut-up"s & "the mind your own business" type remarks that are frequent in her day. Her assessment as having Non-Verbal Learning Disorder means she asks a lot of questions, makes many poorly timed remarks, repeats things at times, and reminds everyone as to what the rules are, as she knows them. Kids find these things annoying while adults are more forgiving and some find her wonderful company, easy to talk to and polite.
What I would like to see on Anti-Bullying Day is role-playing or skits that spell out dramatically how even small put-downs and insults can be hurtful. Most everyone in my daughter's class identified themselves as having been bullied at one time or another. If that's the case, then how come there is still so much of it going on?
We've had our share of bullying. My additional needs daughter who is 12, finds comments about her disabilities especially cutting. Being called a retard is hardly a devastating remark, unless like her, you know that you don't know all you could and then it seems cruel. It's not her fault after all. She is trying to learn to ignore the negative comments, the "shut-up"s & "the mind your own business" type remarks that are frequent in her day. Her assessment as having Non-Verbal Learning Disorder means she asks a lot of questions, makes many poorly timed remarks, repeats things at times, and reminds everyone as to what the rules are, as she knows them. Kids find these things annoying while adults are more forgiving and some find her wonderful company, easy to talk to and polite.
What I would like to see on Anti-Bullying Day is role-playing or skits that spell out dramatically how even small put-downs and insults can be hurtful. Most everyone in my daughter's class identified themselves as having been bullied at one time or another. If that's the case, then how come there is still so much of it going on?
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