Thursday, August 13, 2009

Types of Bullies

We started discussing how important it is to help teach children to respect themselves and others in July, 2009.

Michelle D. a nanny from Fort Lauderdale, FL is trying to help a child to respect herself and stand up to bullies. Michelle explains, "One of the girls I care for is very heavy and is being bullied at camp this summer. She is so timid and insecure and won't swim now because she is embarrassed to wear a bathing suit."

Each and every person has the right to feel safe in their lives and good about themselves. So, pbskids.org It’s My Life web site put together a guide to share the basics of dealing with bullies.

The different types of bullying are:

1. Physical bullying means:
• Hitting, kicking, or pushing someone, or even just threatening to do it,
• Stealing, hiding or ruining someone's things,
• Making someone do things he doesn’t want to do.

2. Verbal bullying means:
• Name-calling,
• Teasing,
• Insulting.

3. Relationship bullying means:
• Refusing to talk to someone,
• Spreading lies or rumors about someone,
• Making someone feel left out or rejected.

The reason why one kid would want to bully another kid is that when someone makes another person feel bad, they gain power over him. Power makes people feel like they're better than another person, and then that makes them feel really good about himself. Power also makes the bully stand out from the crowd. It's a way to get attention.

There is much more to share about bullies, why children bully, and how to cope with bullies tomorrow. Are the children you care for bullied?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The teacher told the parents that one of my charges was taking other kids belongings and hiding them in the class. I never even thought that was bullying. How horrible. I will show this to the parents immediately.
Thanks, Tonya Providence RI

AuPairDebbie said...

Yes Tonya, I think it would be considered stealing even.

Anonymous said...

Oprah talked about this in a really good show. Kids get depressed, even suicidal because of being bullied. They are just kids and their coping skills haven't matured. Things we think kids should be able to cope with, kids may not be able to cope with, especially appropriately.
Candice Wallace Madison WI

Anonymous said...

There is no doubt in my mind and in the minds of many other friends that my youngest charge is a bully. He even bosses me around and hits me! But he teases kids and is sarcastic all of the time. Problem I am having is that the parents are the same way. The parents don't physically hurt anyone but they are vey sarcastic. When the teacher brought it up in the past the parents say things like "Boys will be boys" which is a cop-out. I feel if the parents are in denial then the boy going to be bullying plenty in the future.
Toni from Lincoln NE

Anonymous said...

No wonder kids do this when even adults do this! Gosh nannies do this all the time,
Melissa MT Kisco NY