Bullying in High School: How to Step In, Speak Up, and End the Drama

Bullying is annoying and damaging, leaving a trail of suffering in its wake; and we hate that. Today, we unwrap bullying from head to toe to bring you helpful information on navigating this complicated situation (and to help you understand just how difficult it is!). We begin with our definition of bullying, how it’s been normalized throughout American culture, troubling statistics that reveal how rampant it truly is, and why we believe that bullying is inherently bad. We explore the importance of having empathy for both bullies and the bullied, how parents and other adults should react when they witness a child being bullied, how parents should support their children after a bullying event, and why we should almost always believe our kids when they say they are being bullied. We end with a reminder to be loving, caring, and understanding when dealing with bullies or kids who have been bullied, and we explore what to do when an adult is the perpetrator.

Key Points From This Episode:

• [0:01:06] Why we absolutely loathe bullying.
• [0:02:55] Defining bullying, and exploring the rampant bullying culture at play in America.
• [0:06:17] How bullying has been normalized in schools from the very first initiation (hazing).
• [0:11:34] Troubling statistics and examples about bullying among the American youth.
• [0:14:30] Why bullying is inherently bad, and common traits found in most bullies.
• [0:20:04] The importance of having empathy for both the bully and the bullied.
• [0:21:51] What to do as an adult when you see bullying happening in front of you.
• [0:25:21] How parents react to having a bullying kid versus seeing their child get bullied.
• [0:27:00] Why most kids don’t lie about bullying, and exploring why they would.
• [0:29:00] More advice for parents on how to deal with bullying and how to support their child.
• [0:37:13] A reminder that bullies also need love and understanding.
• [0:39:34] Final words of wisdom toward our dream of eradicating bullying.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You

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