#KIDSCLUB #SENIORSECONDARYSCHOOL #TIRUPUR #TAMILNADU

October 13, 2023

#KIDSCLUB #SENIORSECONDARYSCHOOL #TIRUPUR #TAMILNADU   "When they were offline, and I got online, and we connected! Hats off to schools that take the initiative to open up uncomfortable conversations and give them that safe and non-judgmental space to speak up!   The topic of the day: BULLYING. There's no denying that we are all, in some way or the other, part of bullying. Let's refrain from labeling anyone as villains and instead educate ourselves. If we want to provide children with the opportunity to change through education, methods such as suspension or dismissal speak more about the institutions than about the children who need help. We must acknowledge that children are often subjected to blame and shame within homes and schools, and that respect is still mostly considered something only "elders" require. We need to recognize that we may have been part of one of the following roles in bullying:  

1. When we actively and habitually put others down by shaming or blaming them, knowing that it harms them.
2. When we actively join in with the person doing the above and laugh or giggle and begin to enjoy the process.
3. When we are actively doing one of the above without realizing we are causing harm and dismiss it as a joke or harmless teasing.
4. When we passively join in with the above by not doing anything about it despite knowing it's harming someone.
5. When we are being hurt and harmed consistently and unable to speak up for ourselves or seek help.

  You are a part of bullying because: #B: You do not BELIEVE in your own worth to do differently from any of the above scenarios. Or because you too have been blamed and shamed so much that you have almost normalized it and are just passing it on as the norm. You do not know how to BREAK the patterns in yourself or others. #U: You do not UNDERSTAND your own UNIQUE potential and that of others and are UNABLE to respect differences. #L: You are still ignorant or not yet open to LEARN that there are ways in which you can get out of the situation you are in. #L: You are not probably LOOKING around or within enough to see what is going on, not LISTENING to your own thoughts and feelings and also to that of others, and not LINKING with any trusted person or professional for help. #Y: You do not believe that YOU can make a difference if you choose to, but you are now coping with the situation and feel you are stuck without a choice.   YOU can make a difference if you BELIEVE in your UNIQUE potential, be open to LEARN, by LOOKING, LISTENING, AND LINKING!   Some of the brilliant questions that emerged from this discussion were:

1. Were you bullied, and if yes, can you tell us how you handled it?
2. How do you deal with someone who makes fun of your appearance or character? Is it okay to be an introvert?
3. Why do we say “anti-bullying” if bullies are not bad people?
4. What can we do if we want to help someone who is being bullied but they are not okay to talk to us?
5. What can we do if our own thoughts are bullying us when nobody else around is probably doing that?

  It's crucial to open up conversations about bullying and provide a safe space for children to discuss their experiences and concerns. This helps promote awareness, understanding, and empathy.