Explaining Bullying and Harassment

Bullying and harassment are two largely problematic issues, especially in middle school. Children are supposed to feel safe and excited at school, but when an individual chooses to harshly and/or repeatedly pick on others, the school environment can feel toxic. Bullying and harassment can be hard to differentiate for a child, so to create two different definitions, bullying could be explained as repeated actions like name-calling, physical violence, relational aggression, making threats, and purposefully working others up. Harassment is similar; however, it is not necessarily repeated, and it can be about something more specific such as another student’s differences including race, religion, age, or material status.

Bullying makes kids feel left out and hurt 

Explaining to a bully how his/her behavior is unacceptable may be difficult, but encouraging alternatives to the behavior could be a good start. Urging students to welcome each other's differences is an important step to halting bullying and harassment. Typically, bullying occurs because of a difference between students. However, celebrating differences and cultivating discussion about those deviations of similarity assemble healthy discussions. Once students get to talking, they may find they even have things in common!

Relational aggression is just as bad as physical bullying and must be accounted for 

Allowing children to put themselves in other peers’ shoes and examine their own behavior is another beneficial way to reduce bullying and harassment. Relational aggression often occurs and is maintained because of the lack of empathy. Asking a student why he/she may have started a rumor, for example, and asking how he/she would feel if that rumor was about them is a worthy start to having the student recognize the feelings the actions cause. Once a child realizes how he/she has made another person feel, empathy will set in, and apologies will follow.  

Eliminating bullying and harassment is difficult, but it can be started with inspiring a compassionate mindset. Getting discussions started between students about diversity will motivate open-mindedness, and with a greater understanding will come a greater capacity for friendships to be formed. Ergo, bullying to decrease. Ending bullying and harassment is a harder process to work through in middle school, but it’s not impossible. Cultivate kindness, and thanks for reading!