We all know someone who was #bullied, teased, or mocked at some point in their lives, whether you were the #bully themselves, the #victim, or the #bystander. We’re all taught about it in school with the obligatory worksheets and activities, but, the truth is, sometimes you don’t know it’s happening, even if you’re the one it’s happening to.
We must all be so vigilant in these times because teasing doesn’t have an age or environmental limit. It can be online, offline, in the playground, or at home. We’re not mind readers, but we can ask questions. We must let the new generation know how to talk, because even the smallest things, the smallest dynamic, can affect someone for the rest of their life.
We’ve all heard the age old saying: a #bystander is as bad as the bully themselves. To an extent, this is true. If we watch a behaviour occurring that we know is not right, in whatever environment, we are, in a way, condoning that behaviour. We are telling other people it is the right thing to do. But, if victimising is wrong, letting it happen is, too.
It’s a tricky one though, isn’t it, because you can’t save everyone, as much as you may want to. To this, I direct to teachers, staff, and anybody in a position of power who wants to eradicate all evil inflicted to children. I know this is sometimes impossible, but as long as you do your upmost to help those you know in every conceivable way, you’re doing great.
The thing is, we can’t change someone’s brain and rewire it to not be affected by what has been said to them. We can’t go into the bully’s head and change the way their head is wired, either. What we can do, though, is let our kids know it is okay to talk about how they are feeling- let them know it’s okay if they’re upset, it’s okay if they want to cry, and it’s okay if they are feeling hurt.
But bullying is not just a school thing, as much as mainstream media tells us that it is. Yes, it's heightened in school environments, but it happens in the workplace, on the street- it happens everywhere.
Abuse is a form of bullying. Trolling is a form of bullying. And, we think that, at the very least, it shouldn't be happening online. Social media was created to be social, not anti-social and anonymous, with hooded trolls the other side of the computer screen.
That’s why here at Stitcht we have created a free, genuine, face-to-face kind of social media, where trolls are not welcome.
Come and join in with us and, we promise, your voice will be heard.
This week, next week, for the rest of your life, be kind to one another. It's free.
For now, though, we send love to all those who are being victimised, and we hope you find the #strength to #speakup. We see you, we support you, and we love you. #bereel.