Bullying in schools...whats it all about?

One of my kids is being bullied. I can't go into it much at the moment as obviously some things can't be talked about in detail on a blog that the whole world can read.
The bullying has started off as petty name calling, then it moved to pushing and shoving. It's now moved through kicking to stabbing him in the hand with a pencil. OK it was in itself not a bad wound and it soon healed over. However, at what point along that list did it move from horseplay to bullying?

A lot of people must sit there everyday and wonder this very same thing. It doesn't have to be in school either. It could be a neighbour with threatening advances, a work colleague or a member of your family. We won't go into incest/child abuse type things here, that's a whole new ball game I cannot and won't have anything to do with...as yet!

Bullying in school includes:

• People calling you names
• Making things up to get you into trouble
• Hitting, pinching, biting, pushing and shoving
• Taking things away from you
• Damaging your belongings
• Stealing your money
• Taking your friends away from you
• Spreading rumours
• Threats and intimidation
• Making silent or abusive phone calls
• Sending you offensive phone texts
• Posting insulting messages on the internet or by IM
• Bullies can also frighten you so that you don't want to go to school, so that you pretend to be ill to avoid them.

So, what am I doing about it? Luckily i work in a school and I get inside info to help guide me but this is not the case for everyone so I looked about on the Internet and came up with a cracking site designed for pupils and parents alike. It outlines what you can do to combat the problem. The way to go about it..important bit that, and what to expect for an outcome. Unfortunately, that last bit is not always what you want but it is and I stress this rare to have to go to the lengths possible in this country outlined by this site. Although if it has to be done once...thats too many times!!

Try this link in the first instance and if your child is being bullied...then good luck!
Moriarty
http://www.bullying.co.uk/pupils.php

Other links:
http://www.childline.org.uk/extra/bullyingindex.asp
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying/
http://www.antibullying.net/

Bullying...lets stamp it out NOW!!