Bullying

I guess I should say I should feel very fortunate because there are some things that exist now that almost didn't exist in the seventies and early eighties, the time I was in grade school. When I thought up this topic I put it off for a couple of weeks. I knew that this topic is now a regular act that happens so much that its almost a “culture shock” to me, not because it was out of my nature or somewhat unfamiliar, but because of the extreme people take it. When I write on a particular topic I like to relate it to my own experiances, but with this one I have almost no experience in it. at most, not enough to affect me.

When I think someone being bullied I think of “Waldo” of the music video by Van Halen called “Hot for Teacher”. Looking back at the few times I was bullied it was outside of school and/or it was because the person didnt know me or didn't understand my disability and that is usually how bullying starts. Nowadays bullying can get extremely brutal.

Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior manifested by the use of force or coercion to affect others, particularly when the behavior is habitual and involves an imbalance of power. It can include verbal harassment, physical assult or coercion and may be directed repeatedly towards particular victims, perhaps on grounds of race, religion, gender, sexuality, or ability. This definition sounds very extreme from the bullying I was exposed to. It was more focused on my ability by way of teasing, making fun of, or copying my disability.

Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, school, and mental health issues. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience:

Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. These issues may persist into adulthood.

Health complaints

Decreased academic achievement—GPA and standardized test scores—and school participation. They are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.

A very small number of bullied children might retaliate through extremely violent measures. In 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied.

Here is a link that I think you'll enjoy... it talks about bullying and it also has an ebook: http://www.themermaidinthegherkinjar.com/ . It's about a kid with Cerebral Palsy.

The 'Making it Real' videos feature 14 inspiring people - musicians, an executive, students, athletes and paralympians -- who live with cerebral palsy. They talk about some of life's big issues which affect everyone of us.
I hope that the people who shared their stories will motivate you to live your best life, and prompt you to help others do the same

Tony Bartoli was bullied in school, pushed down multiple times and horribly mistreated because he had cerebral palsy. Now Tony travels around the country speaking on bullying, letting people know what they can do about it. He can be reached at www.TonyB4Hope.com