Bullies...

What is a bully? Everyone has a definition and most are similar, but what is it really? This week we had many clients who talked about fear of going back to school and the fear of the bullies that they experienced in prior years. Bullying doesn't just happen with kids. Adults experience it and dogs too!

We often hear Tara talk about the "Bully breeds". We have had many foster siblings that come with that label, but they are not bullies, just assumed to be based on old school thinking. We have posted our thoughts on this previously. This type of "bully" does not mean the same thing as what our clients are processing! 

The expectation of power over someone else is unacceptable. Bullying can be stopped but you can't be silent! If you are being bullied, tell someone! If you see someone being bullied, tell someone. If you are an adult and see this, stop it! 

Words hurt, but bullying can go beyond bullying! Bullying is also taking place through texting, Facebook, email and more. Are you aware and up to date on the risks of bullying and the signs to look for?

Don't accept a passive answer if your child is being bullied. Stand up for what you know is right as bullying can escalate fast. If you don't like the answer or resolution and bullying continues, go higher. 

We don't ask this often, but we would like this post to be interactive.

Share with us tips to overcome bullying that you have learned or tried. You can post anonymously. We would like to get a thread going here that can help many students as they enter back into the school system after having a safe Summer away from those that cause them fear.

This graphic reminds us that bullying doesn't always go the way one would assume.......size doesn't always tell you who the bully is!

Looking forward to dialogue on this!

Abbey and Bode