Myths & Facts about Bullying
It’s only bullying if the child is physically hurt. Words can’t hurt
Children have killed each other and committed suicide after being involved in verbal, relationship, or cyber-bullying. Words do hurt and they can have a devastating effect on the emotional wellbeing of a child or teen.
My child would never be a bully
All kids make mistakes; it’s part of growing up. Parents who deny the possibility that their child is capable of being hurtful make it harder for bullies to get the help they need.
Bullies are simply bad people and should be expelled from school
There are a lot of reasons why children bully. Some are bullied themselves, at home or elsewhere, others bully only when they feel stressed or overwhelmed.
Kids can be either bullies or victims, not both
Kids can often change roles, going from victim to bully and back again. For example, a bully in fifth year may be a victim when he moves to comprehensive school, or a victim in the playground can take revenge and become the bully online.