When Should Bullying Be Ignored?

When Should Bullying Be Ignored?

Justin



A great deal of attention has been brought to the subject of bullying.  Bullying isn't limited to able-bodied people with huge egos wanting to belittle those they feel are beneath them, but people with special needs can be bullies as well.  I didn't realize just how much of an issue this was until Justin became the target of a bully; a bully who was also special needs.  Many who bully use the excuse they do what is being done to them, but I don't totally buy into this.  If someone were in someway mistreated, don't they in turn make sure they don't mistreat others because they know how it feels? 

I also have to ask myself where are the parents of the bullies and do they care what their children are doing?  Sadly to say, many parents of bullies don't care as long as their children are out of their hair.  Their lack of disciplining their children and showing them the love and respect they so crave comes out in their children's everyday actions and many times these actions are against their peers.  Then when parents are confronted with the inappropriate behavior, they either lose their temper with the one confronting them or ignore the situation all together.  How can anything get accomplished when we keep running into a brick wall?

I try to rear my children to be respectful of those around them and to treat others the way they would want to be treated.  Sometimes this means we have to stand up to what others want to sweep under the rug, because ignoring the situation achieves nothing and in some cases makes the situation worse.  It also sends a message to our children who are being bullied that they are not important and I want them to know they are just as important as everyone else. 

Trying to change the world for the better, one bully at a time.
Angela :)