Help us to help your child and you by having the following conversations with your students regarding good/bad choices, and knowing the difference between being rude, mean or being a Bully/bullied .
Sometimes a person is rude or mean, not a bully. Remind your child to report so we can investigate. Often, it is a misunderstanding, or facts have gotten exaggerated from what really happened.
Rude: saying or doing something that hurts someone else, but NOT on purpose Examples: poor manners, inconsiderate, wanting something to be ‘their way’, comments about other people’s differences.
Mean: saying or doing something that hurts someone else, ON purpose Examples: saying you are fat/ugly, pushing
someone off a swing because you wanted it, taking other people’s things on purpose.
Bullying: intentional, aggressive behavior that happens OVER and OVER again, repeatedly over time, that often involves an imbalance of power. Examples: EVERYDAY a child gets his money taken if he doesn’t give it, he will get beat up.