Bullies Beware

Bullies Beware

Bullying is a common phenomenon with kids and adolescents. Statistics reveal that 30% of the youth population in the US has either been bullied or has bullied others. Both males and females are bullies, but studies show that males tend to be more physical in their bullying. Females taunt their victims on their looks or spread nasty rumors, while males hit, slap or push.

Contrary to popular belief, many bullies are not self-loathing cowards, taking out their insecurities on others. Most bullies are kids who are brought up without empathy for others. They feel a need to dominate others, and many learn to be aggressive from their parents. Further studies indicate that bullies are more violent than their peers, and more likely to participate in harmful behaviors such as smoking and drinking.

Bullying can be traumatic and contribute to low self-esteem, anxiousness, and isolating for the victim. It’s important for parents to encourage their kids to stand up against bullies to avoid becoming the victim. Being bullied can result in poor social skills and can affect performance in school. Bullying often takes at schools where there is little or no supervision. Therefore, parents need to ensure that their kids are in a safe environment with strict rules against bullying.