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What can I do if someone bullies me or a friend? |
Safety
Ignore the bully. Pretend not to notice the bully. Walk away quickly to a safe place and get help from an adult.
Stand up for yourself and your friends. Tell someone who is bullying you or your friends, "No!” or “Stop it!” Then walk quickly away to a safe place and get help from an adult.
Don't be a bully. If someone is bullying you or a friend, don't fight back because someone could get hurt.
Don’t let the bully know how you feel. Don’t cry or act like you are afraid. Try not to let the bully see that you are upset.
Tell an adult. If someone is bullying you or a friend, it is very important to talk to an adult you can trust. Tell the adult what happened and how you feel. Ask for help.
What can I do if I see someone being bullied?
If you see someone being bullied, talk to a trusted adult. Bullying is not okay. Kids who are being picked on need help so that they can feel safe. Kids who are bullies need help so that they can learn how to interact with others in ways that don’t make others feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
Have you ever heard of The Turtle Technique? Kids use it when they want to calm down in lots of different situations.
When a turtle feels threatened, it withdraws into its shell. If you are upset because you have been bullied, walk away quickly to a safe place. Then act like a turtle and go into your shell.
Take these three steps to calm down.
1. Tell yourself, “STOP!”
2. Take a long, deep breath:
3. Say the problem and how you feel:
Once you are able to, talk to a trusted adult about what happened and ask for their help.
Greenberg, M. T. & Kusche, C. A. (1998) Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies. Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado