Get Ready To Talk!
Bullying can happen anywhere.
It happens in homes, schools, on a bus, or in the neighborhood. Bullying can be done by all kinds of people. Sometimes it is done by strangers and sometimes it is done by people we know. It can be done by children, teens and adults. Bullying is very common.
Bullying is a form of violence. It is aggression and it presents people with conflict. Bullying has many forms. It can be described as when one person uses power on purpose with the aim of hurting another person. There are different kinds of bullying.
- Physical - pushing, shoving, hitting, or threatening someone with a weapon
- Social - gossip, excluding someone or spreading rumors
- Verbal - name calling, teasing or verbal threats of harm
- Intimidation - threatening to reveal personal information, taking something from someone, threats against family or friends
- Cyberbullying - using the Internet or cell phones to threaten or intimidate by sending messages that create fear or unhappiness
Messages about Bullying
There are also many mixed messages about many forms of bullying. TV, movies and electronic games promote the use of violence. Young people are exposed to thousands of messages about violence that is packaged as entertainment. Young people may also live in environments where bullying is used by adults.
Some young people experience bullying or other forms of abuse or violence at very early ages. Students are often afraid to report bullying to a teacher out of fear that the bully will find out and the bullying will only get worse.
Addressing Bullying
It takes skill and practice for young people to deal with bullying. Learning to deal with bullying is an important skill as bullying is something that can continue into adulthood.
Bullying is reduced by making the environments young people live, learn, and play in safely monitored by attentive adults.
Goals of "The Talk"
The goal of this "talk" is to help parents and children:
- Define terms related to bullying
- Understand the role of bully, victim and witness
- Discuss how to respond when bullied or witnessing bullying
- Identify the emotional health and safety problems associated with bullying
- Identify where to go for help if problems associated with bullying continue
- Discuss family rules, school rules and laws that related to bullying
- Discuss community projects that can make homes, schools and communities safer.
As you explore
As you explore this site, you and your child can learn in a variety of ways. This "talk" includes the following family activities:
- Let's Talk Activities
- Videos
- Safety Rules
- Questions and Answers
- 10 Tips
You may also access the google map directory of services, guide to resources, glossary of terms, calendar of events (to attend a Let's Talk parent workshop), or learn about local Community Projects your family can support.
The "Let's Talk" Activities
Everyone experiences bullying at some point in their lives.
It helps to think about what to do BEFORE we are confronted with bullying. Using the above "Let's Talk" activities can help young people think about ways to cope with bullying. The activities are easy and fun, leading to all kinds of interesting talks about bullying and keeping safe. Work together with your child to fill in the cartoon characters' thinking and speaking bubbles.
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers, just lots of opportunities to discuss the issues. Be sure to take a few moments to chat about what your child put in the bubbles and to explore the issues of bullying that are addressed in the activity. 
Videos
Let's Talk provides videos to spark conversations between family members about the "tough issues."
In the video, "When Push Comes to Shove" four families start talking about various forms of bullying with interesting results.
Questions & Answers
Kids and lots of adults have questions about keeping safe, healthy and successful in school. We have collected commonly asked questions and responses from around the nation.
How early does bullying start?
When children get together, one child can be more aggressive. We can see kids as young as two hitting, shoving, and grabbing--acting out the roles of bully and victim. As children grow, so can their aggressiveness. Before entering elementary school, children need to know about bullying and family rules regarding how to respect others.
Safety Rules!
Every family has values about how people should be treated.
A parent might feel strongly that all people should be treated with respect and never hit others. This attitude agrees with school policy. Another parent might believe that if someone hits a child then that child should hit back. This attitude does not match school policy and would result in suspension.
10 Tips About Bullying & Harassment
Families are finding solutions to all types of problems.
We have created a list of ten ways to keep young people safe, healthy and successful at home, school and in the community. Read about "10 Tips About Bullying and Harassment" and share your tips, too.
'Here's What I Know' Quiz
Now that you have learned so much about bullying, take a moment and try the 'Here's What I Know' quiz. It's only a few questions and a good chance to show what you know.
