The light in his 5th grade classroom dulled. Timmy had noticed it the other times, too. But today the light was shadowed and extra dim. Maybe it was because more kids were standing to watch instead of sitting. He wasn't sure. Tower tossed a glance over his shoulder, like he always did when Ms. Phelps stepped from the classroom. Then he snatched Timmy's pencil from his desk. Timmy closed his eyes and held a breath. The slap-upside-the-head was coming next. It always did.
Gripping the rim of his desk with both hands, Timmy readied for impact. He imagined escaping to someplace safe like home or even Janitor Smith's office, where he played chess after school with his friend Matt. Sweat beaded beneath the neckline of his baseball t-shirt, his heart practically beating out of his chest.
Mumbles swirled among his classmates. He figured some were placing bets on whether Tower would knock him out of his chair like yesterday, while others were rejoicing that Tower wasn't picking on them. The somersaults in his stomach were extra rough today, on account that Rachel had been moved to his class last week. He liked her. Like-liked her, not just liked. This would be more embarrassing then on most days.
Dropping his arms to his sides, he squeezed his fists with all his might, desperate to squelch the urge to fight back. That urge had started a few weeks ago, and it was getting worse. But Tower was huge and played tackle football. He could kill Timmy. Making matters worse, Tower's dad was the police chief. But Rachel was there, the other kids were looking, and Timmy was so tired of being bullied.
What does Timmy do? Does he fight back? Let Tower slap him around and try to forget about it when it's over? Tell a teacher? A parent? Ask his classmates for help? Hurt others become no one has helped him?
What do his classmates do? Idly watch, while Timmy gets clobbered, intimidated, and embarrassed? Stand up for Timmy and have Tower turn on them? Would anyone help them? Would they lose all their friends?
There is so much going on in the mind while being bullied, while watching someone being bullied, or (gosh forbid) while bullying someone.
The act of bullying will not be stopped by simply exposing the bullies for who they are. Yes, that makes some feel good. I totally understand that. But it's not the cure.
Bullying will not be eradicated - from childhood, adolescence, high schools, and even throughout adulthood - until TOLERANCE and ACCEPTANCE for others' differences is embraced.
Our differences is what makes this world an amazing place to exist. Learn from each other. Be happy for the joy someone else finds in something, even though you don't. They probably don't like all your preferences either.
A bully is someone who looks at you and sees what he/she is lacking.
Bulling is an attempt to fill those holes within themselves.
But it's never enough.
Because bullying is not a cure to making oneself whole, but a disease that slowly degrades ALL those involved.
It's OKAY to tell a bully to stop.
It's OKAY to tell if you are being bullied.
It's OKAY to take a stand against bullying.
It's OKAY if you feel like bullying to ask for help.
You are beautiful, smart, brave, and created in a fantastic way. Each human being is special in his or her own right. And yes, that means you.
Please help stomp out bullying by becoming a member of my daughter's Facebook Group, Bully Free 2Day, and visit HERE to help celebrate the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence.
Together we can make a difference.
Support these other fine writers, who are speaking out against bullying today. Thank you!!
Talli Roland - http://talliroland.blogspot.
LM Preston - http://lmpreston.blogspot.
Donna Martin - http://www.donasdays.
Sheri Larsen - http://www.writersally.
Candace Granger - http://
Jonathon Arntson - http://jonathonarntson.
Nicole Zoltack - www.NicoleZoltack.com
Jessica Bell - http://
Dawn Ius - www.dawnmdalton.blogspot.com
PK Hrezo - http://pk-hrezo.blogspot.com
This is awesome. Thanks for taking a stand. There's been a lot more awareness about this issue, and yet it still goes on. No child should have to make those decisions what to do about a bully because there shouldn't be any bullying! It boggles my mind how parents and teachers can turn a blind eye to this in the home and in schools.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Thank you for starting this! I don't know if bullying has got more out of control or if society just "sees" it more - either way, it MUST stop.
ReplyDeleteMy post on this is actually at dawnmdalton.blogspot.com :-)
Thanks for this informative post. It's so sad that it's such a difficult problem to deal with. The more awareness the better!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I don't think bullying has gotten out of control compared to when we were growing up. I was bullied a lot, but in the way girls bully. Only now, girls have a way of making the hurt bigger than they did back then.
ReplyDeleteMy two boys are at high risk of being bullied (one as asperger's syndrome). My 9 yo was emotionally hurt this week by someone who he thought was his friend. Someone he still wants to be friends with. Fortunately the boy's mom is a friend of mine and she was almost in tears when she found out what happened. The boy hurt my son because the boy doesn't have many friends and thought this would help. It didn't. The kids felt sorry for my son instead (partly because of what the teacher did when she found out what happened). And it wasn't totally the boy's fault. He didn't actually do the bad thing. He dared another kid to do it, and the kid did it. And in the end, my son was hurt.
Well written account and such an important post, Sheri.
ReplyDeleteFor me, a big part of the solution lies in the middle-ground. Not the bullies...or their victims...but with the people who stand by and allow it to happen. Not standing up for kids who are buillied, or worse, laughing at the results, allows it to continue.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great cause!
Thanks for speaking up, Sheri. Yours may be the best post on this.
ReplyDeleteWow, Matt. I'm floored. Thank you.
DeleteThat story is a perfect example. If only the kids who were bullied had the courage to stand up and say no, I'm not taking it anymore.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! The kids and people who are a witness to bullying and do nothing are just as much to blame as the bullies.
ReplyDeleteSheri, the scene sounds so familiar. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteWhat stopped the bullying for me was when I finally found the courage to punch one of the bullies in the mouth. That was sixth grade. I was never bullied again.
The above-mentioned bully apologized to me many years later as an adult. She said she had been haunted by her behavior as a child for many years. I also heard another person (a former child bully) say this as an adult as well. As an adult, the years of bullying didn't haunt me, but apparently, they haunted the bully.
Thanks for posting this.
Awesome post today! Many kids do not know what to do if they are being bullied, and if they do know, they are not aware its okay to take action. Thanks for the in-depth post today and its worthy of a Tweet!
ReplyDeleteAw...thank you, Stephen! I truly hope it makes a difference. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI love this more than words. Much, much more. :-)
ReplyDeleteExcellent post, Sheri. I really feel it's up to everyone, victims and non-victims alike, to stand up for each other. Thanks for this post today! Strength in numbers for sure!!
ReplyDeleteNICE POST!!!
ReplyDeleteBullying is so awful--especially now with the cyber bullying. Geez!
This is so well said. I have 2 boys and it hurts my heart to think they could be any of these things. Thanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteWow, Sheri. This post is amazing. Good on you for going all out on this, and for asking me to be on board!
ReplyDeleteWow...I love this. Very compelling.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome Shari! I have had a son bullied for his differences. He made it through with flying colors, but so many don't. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful cause and beautifully said. Power to you ladies! Off to join the FB page!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. And sadly an important topic that still needs to be talked about a lot. Thanks for organizing this Sheri.
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome, Sheri. I wish there had been a movement to stop bullying when I was on the receiving end but I'm glad I stood up for someone else instead of staying silent and I'm glad people are becoming more aware of just how deadly bullying can be.
ReplyDeleteI always wonder how we do it, how do we change it. Bullying is something that doesn't seem to stop people still do it as adults. Thanks Sheri for getting involved for bringing us into this movement.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a wonderful idea. Will be joining up now. :-)
ReplyDeleteSheri, thank you so much for organising our posts, and for coming up with the idea.
ReplyDeleteHello, I popped over here from Talli Roland's and have now joined your daughter's Facebook group.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome, D.J.!!!
Delete