Many myths surround children and bullying

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Every parent knows it’s typically not the school work or the teachers that make kids’ lives miserable at school. It’s the bullies. Bullying among children and teens is known to be widespread, but a new book suggests the bullying trend won’t be reversed until people face the facts on what this behavior is all about. According to Dr. Meline Kevorkian, author of the new book ‘101 Facts About Bullying: What Everyone Should Know,’ (Rowman & Littlefield, September, 2008):

Among the truths about bullying:

• Children can be both bullies and victims. ‘When a bullied student is otherwise unable to stop the bullying, the victim may in turn exhibit those behaviors to others.’
• Students who fight back are more likely to be victimized. ‘We should not tell students to fight back against bullies. The cycle of bullying and victimization is reinforced when the victim responds aggressively.’
• Many adolescent bullies are popular kids. ‘They will use their status within the group to humiliate others.’
• Bullying can be a prelude to even worse behavior down the road. ‘The evidence is clear that bullies, when allowed to continue, will escalate their behavior as they get older.’
• Even kids with high self-esteem can be bullies. Kevorkian calls this the most difficult myth to overcome. High self-esteem can mean that a child can become either a positive or negative leader.

Everyone suffers from bullying -- even the children who are bystanders, says Kevorkian, executive director of academic review at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The distress caused by witnessing bullying or being victimized can be great, she says.

- Shari Roan

NOTE: Thanks to the readers who pointed out that these bullet points are what the book author says are truths about bullying, not myths. SR