According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, one out of every five students reports being bullied, and 41 percent fear repeat incidents. The students of Southern Maryland are not immune to this fear; especially since social media posts of an embarrassing bullying event can cause the negative effects to metastasize.
Our precious little ones are taking their lives because of this cancer. Let’s help families in Southern Maryland to stop the spread of bullying!
When their 8-year-old son came home from school with several band-aids on his hand, Veron and Tori discovered it was not just an innocent school accident. Their child was being bullied.
As millions of children head back to school this year, more than one in five of them will have a similar experience, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. And in a national study by the Cyberbullying Research Center, nearly 21% of tweens said they had been a target, aggressor or witness to bullying online or by other electronic means.
As parents search for ways to protect their children, a growing group of families are turning to an unlikely source for practical guidance: the Bible.
Veron and Tori talked with their son about helpful scriptural principles they learned through their faith as Jehovah’s Witnesses. “We did our best to allow him to fully express his feelings,” Veron said. Then together, they studied verses “to help him avoid confrontations and deal with the emotional and mental trauma associated with being bullied.”
They also went to jw.org, the Witnesses’ official website, where a search for the term bullying brought up a wealth of free resources including videos, articles, worksheets and other online activities on topics young people face at school. Those resources include a whiteboard animation entitled, “Beat a Bully Without Using Your Fists” and an animated cartoon about the powerful effect of prayer for those who are being bullied.
Veron and Tori’s young son put into practice what his parents taught him.
“I learned that sometimes I have to avoid certain things that will put me right next to the bully,” said the now 12-year-old. Tori acknowledges, “As parents we are not given a manual when they are born, but jw.org gives us the tools we need to raise our children to be respectful citizens.”
Madison Bechtle of Clifton, New Jersey, also turned to the Scriptures when a cyberbully started harassing her in the eighth grade with dozens of disturbing notifications on her cell phone. “It was really crazy. He was sending me pictures of my house. I was really paranoid all the time,” she said.
Reading the Bible and praying calmed her anxiety. “It’s just you and God, and you’re just talking one-on-one,” she said. “It’s very comforting, and it works.”
She also followed the practical steps outlined in the jw.org whiteboard animation “Be Social-Network Smart” to protect herself. She told her parents and teachers about the situation and deleted the social media account her bully had targeted. “I still don’t have that account to this day,” said Madison, now 21.
“Not every situation resolves so easily. But applying the Bible’s advice and focusing on the big picture can help individuals cope and maintain their sense of self-worth,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses.
“The Bible has proven to be a practical resource for many families to navigate difficult situations in life,” said Hendriks. “The principles found in this ancient book can help adults and children resolve conflict and maintain peaceful relationships with others.”
Principles like the so-called Golden Rule of treating others as you’d want to be treated, showing love and being slow to anger are tools Veron said help his family in many circumstances. “The information is timeless, versatile and helps us meet the challenges we face
