a trusted friend? Have you tried forming allies with a “bully-blocker”? 3. For the By-stander some strategies I would like you to consider. Have you thought about telling someone in authority, if a student, telling a teacher or trusted adult in private, or your workplace antibullying hotline? How can you support the person being bullied? Consider how you can gather other people who are willing to take a stand against bullying and support the victim. 4. If you are a bully blocker then please give yourself a round of applause. I would like to share a brief testimony of a “bully blocker.” In my early 20’s, I ran into a guy who attended the same school I did. We didn’t hang out as friends; however, he was always being bullied. He was of Asian descent. I was taught to be respectful of everyone regardless of their skin color or ethnic background. I disliked anyone being bullied. Needless to say, this guy recognized me right away. We greeted each other briefly. To my surprise he said “I want to thank you” I asked him what for? He said, he wanted to thank me for standing up to kids who bullied him and called him racial slurs. I was honored and grateful to be remembered in such a manner. Today I would call it being a “bully blocker”. It only takes one person to make a difference in someone else’s life. Ask yourself, who do you choose to be? The individual who stands up or the by-stander who sees and does nothing. I would encourage everyone to be a bully-blocker. The impact is powerful for both you and the victim. Together we can stop the bullying! If you have ever been bullied, I want to apologize to you, no one deserves to be bullied. Regardless of your race, religion, 33 sexual orientation or gender, bullying is something that should never be tolerated. Unfortunately, adults too can turn a blind eye to bullying. Bullying is something I recommend all parents to talk to their children about. Check in with your children to make sure they are not being bullied. Take note if grades are slipping, if your child is spending more time to themselves, or you see a change in positive behavior. If the parent is a bully, it’s most likely the child will follow in their footsteps. It is vital to be positive role models for our children. We must remember to be aware of on-line and social media bullying as well. One way to help stop the bullying is by coming together as a community, working together to put an end to bullying. This is vital. My son and I worked to create an anti-bullying clothing line called Simply Nerdie. We came up with the acronym N.E.R.D: Nice. Educated. Respectful. Determined. We want to spread awareness and put an end to bullying. If you are interested in checking out some of our Antibullying merchandise, please visit the website at SimplyNerdie.com. Remember together we can help put an end to bullying. Caleb Thomas M.A. LMHC 319 206-0651 thomasacc.com Thomas & Associates Counseling & Consulting Counseling with a God given purpose!
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