Stand for the Kids

I have heard recently about bullying that is happening at our local schools. My message here is short and simple. This is NOT acceptable. It is the responsibility of the ENTIRE community to put a stop to this as soon as possible. Bullying is a problem within the community so the people of said community need to step up and deal with the problem together.

First my message is to the bully and the parents of said bully. The chances are, you are bullying someone else because you are hurt or struggling with something yourself. Please don't take it out on others. There is help, seek it and find ways to love yourself and others. For the parents, please understand that your precious little angels are human; they make mistakes, they are not perfect. Call them out on their downfalls. You are not helping them by allowing them to be thugs.

To the parents of the kids that are being bullied; continue to love, support and listen to your children. They are hurting. They probably will try to hide their feelings as they believe the lies instead of the truth about who they really are. The best things that you can do for them is love them and do your best to keep the lines of communication open. Check their phones and social media accounts. Yes, kids should have privacy, but this is where these problems exist and it is vital to be aware.

Friends of the kids being picked on, please stand up for them. Yes, you will probably be picked on as well, but isn't your friend worth it? Once everyone stands together, the problems stop. Listen to your friends, show them you love them, and show the bullies that you will not allow your friends to be picked on. Show them that you will be their strength when they cannot carry themselves. One day, you will need them to carry you.

Teachers and school officials, I realize that you are busy, but this MUST be in the forefront. Kids are DYING from this epidemic! Children are telling each other to kill themselves and they are listening. Nothing can be more important than this; lives are at stake! Use your education and your skills and find ways to listen to these kids. Watch as you go throughout the day and see which kids are all the sudden sitting by themselves or acting out of character. Parents are trusting you with their most precious possessions, it is not just a job that you hold, it is life! Please don't let the parents down.

Finally, for the community, whether you have kids in a particular school or not, this is your problem. Take a stand. Reach out to parents that you see struggling. Reach out to kids that you know. We have become a society that stays in our own little bubbles and no longer accepts other people. Be friendly. Be helpful. Be aware. It just might make us all a little more happy.