National Bullying Prevention Month

Bullying is an issue that people of all ages deal with especially if they are on Social Media, bullying is not just for kids and teens anymore. Bullying when I was growing up was calling people names, starting rumors about you, and a few fist fights but nothing as life-altering as today. The worst that happened to me was I was hit in the back of the head with a coke bottle over someone starting a rumor that I was making fun of my best friend and neighbor about her cleft palate. Of course, the rumor wasn’t true but she took it personally, it wasn’t her that hit me in the back of the head with the Coke bottle it was one for her friends looking for trouble.

Nowadays are bullied at a very young age about everything from the clothes they wear, who their friends are, to whether or not they have a phone or an email, It can go as far as what car their parents drive, where they work and on and on, it there’s a hater out there, there is a bully. One of the biggest challenges is that kids and teens don’t often tell their parents before things get out of control. Nor do they talk to the school about it even if they know who is doing it. It’s the same pressure that’s always been there, being a tattle tale. We have to know how to stand up for ourselves and teach our children to do the same.

On Social Media, it is so much worse and more vicious, if they troll you they also troll your friends and their friends, start outrageous rumors, makeup conversations that never happened, manufacture photos that don’t exist, and send them to everyone you know even your employer. Some trolls make it their life obsession to ruin your life before they move on to the next person. They can make it look like a message comes from someone and not from that person.

One of the reasons I closed all my social accounts was the negativity. If you write about an accomplishment or good health news you can get bombarded with messages like “You aren’t sick”, “You’re Lying”, You just want sympathy” and the negative comments go on and on. The other issue I had is, that I only followed a short list but would still see all of Elon’s tweets about his views, overpopulating the world with children and other views I never asked to see, like him talking about sex or showing him grabbing a woman’s but. I’m no prude by any stretch of the imagination but that isn’t why I joined back in 2015. I also grew tired of the pushing of other sites I might want to follow, some may find that helpful but not me.

Of course, there is a more sinister side of Social Media but that’s for another post. What will say to parents is to monitor how much time their kids spend on Social Media, what they are looking at, who they are following, and check their Direct Messages. Teens have to earn the right to have a phone and to access these sites. They also need your guidance to know that they don’t know who is on the other end no matter what they think or what the other heart is telling them.

A scary way young adults and adults alike can be bullied is by a troll gathering info posted and piecing together your life, your photos, where you hang out, and even where you work. Now think of what a troll can do with that information and believe me this happens every day. Remember all the stories of kids being ostracized because their parents were Only Fans members?

What is National Bullying Month About?

October is National Bullying Awareness Month, a timely reminder for organizations to take action at the local level to foster safe and supportive environments. Workplace bullying—whether through hostile comments, discriminatory actions, or other forms of intimidation—should never be tolerated.

By promoting kindness, inclusivity, and respect, we can contribute to creating workplaces where everyone feels valued and respected. Together, we have the power to make bullying a thing of the past and build a better, more compassionate world.

The reason, I only included this information is everything I read was focused on kids and that’s not reality anymore.

I don’t see bullying going away but we can control it with protective measures and education.

Melinda