No one remembers your name…………..
It’s the first day of middle school and you’re so nervous you can feel you stomach creeping into your throat. Will this be the year I can finally fit in? Maybe things will be different and people will finally like me? Why am I so different? Why am I such a freak? Why can’t I just fit in? Why can’t I just be normal? Why does everyone hate me so much? Why can’t I stop hating myself? Why am I so alone? Why do your words hurt so much? Why am I alive? Why can’t I just fall asleep and never wake up again? Why do I cry so much?
Why?
Why?
Help?
“kids will be kids”, “kids just need thicker skin”, “it’s part of life, get used it”, “its not bullying, just normal kid fighting”, “they deserved what they got”, “maybe if they tried fitting in more they wouldn’t be picked on so much”, “they’re just words, get over it” …..
Words hurt, and the pain can last a life time. Being “punished” by your peers for being different isn’t fair. Being beaten down to the point of so much self doubt makes it difficult to tell anyone what is going on. Sometimes a child doesn’t know how to ask for help. Sometimes they are too broken or embarrassed to talk to anyone about it.
Bullying begins in the home and we all need to do something about it.
Here are just a few facts about bullying in the U.S. from the How To Stop Bullying website:
- 1 out of 4 kids is Bullied
- School bullying statistics surveys show that 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally, & physically
- Each day 160,000 students miss school for fear of being bullied
- Playground school bullying statistics – Every 7 minutes a child is bullied. Adult intervention – 4%. Peer intervention – 11%. No intervention – 85%.
What are YOU doing to help?
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. ~ Albert Einstein
