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A bully never wins.
By Megan Quinn — Written on Feb 19, 2023
Some of us have joyous memories from elementary school, playing alongside classmates during recess and collaborating on group projects in the classroom.
For others, those early school years were a nightmare after being the victim of bullying from other children.
At a young age, it can be difficult to stand up against bullies, especially after children are constantly taught to “be nice.”
One mother made note of this after her child was being bullied at school. Instead of reporting the incident to a teacher or encouraging them to reason with the perpetrator, the woman conveyed to her child the importance of standing up for yourself.
The mother claimed that she was ‘proud’ of her child after they tripped a classmate that was bullying them.
She took to Twitter to share her story and her thoughts regarding how children should handle themselves when they are bullied.
“We don’t want our kids to bully anyone, but we have to teach them to stick up for themselves,” the mother, Rose, shared.
She reveals her own personal story centered around bullying and children using her own child’s experience as an example.
“One time a little girl was bullying my kid at the tire swing,” she wrote. “My kid sat down on some steps and waited for her to walk by and then proceeded to trip her.”
While some parents may have condoned this behavior, Rose was proud of her child for standing their ground. Their method clearly worked, as the little girl did not bother them again.
Although the mother received a phone call home from the principal about the incident, her child’s Kindergarten teacher befriended her, agreeing with how her child handled the situation.
“I was honestly proud,” Rose claimed. She shared that she was bullied when she was her child’s age and that it all starts around that time in life, and it is more important than ever to learn how to fight back rather than take it.
Other parents agreed with Rose’s message.
“True, I have two daughters. One tripped her bully and was never messed with again. The other didn't retaliate (same bully) and the bullying escalated,” one mother shared.
“My mum had this boy in her class when she was a kid, he was pulling her hair, kicking her seat in the class, and being an overall bully, she repeatedly told him to stop but he never did until she whipped around and punched him and he never bothered her again,” another Twitter user revealed.
“I never retaliated and they were relentless. I would today if I could go back,” another user admitted.
Others pointed out that children are being taught incorrect methods to prevent bullying.
“The problem with society today is we teach children that we must be 'kind.' That is the wrong lesson,” one user noted.
“That is the wrong lesson. We have to teach respect and integrity first. If we teach those kindness follows.”
“My mom always told me to ignore bullies and walk away from them. I was bullied even more. For years and years,” another user shared.
“Do not tell your kids to ignore bullies. That makes them want to go after them even harder to get a reaction.”
Standing up to bullies may be a daunting task for some, especially if they fear sticking up for themselves may make them more of a target.
In a January article, clinical social worker and personal effectiveness coach, Brock Hansen told YourTango that fearing the bully already makes one a target and there is no guarantee that hiding from bullies will protect you from them.
“Figuring out the safest ways to stand up to bullying is the best way to avoid becoming a victim,” Hansen adds.
Over 20% of students report being bullied. Luckily, this means that if you ever find yourself to be a victim, you are not alone and have a community to turn to for advice.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.