Our childcare dept is supporting Anti-Bullying day by holding conversations in our programs, and selling t-shirts (proceeds go to the Variety Club). The t-shirts are hot pink and are cool because they have a blank line for the children to write in how they will stand up against bullying. Our preschoolers were tasked with brainstorming ideas about bullying. We then filled out a paper t-shirt to post downstairs in the community centre. Check them out- they are taped to the glass of the fitness centre,
We opened up a discussion around bullying. I wasn't sure if the children were even familiar with this term, let alone understanding its complex undertones. As usual, they surprised me.
Here are a few of the comments we heard when asked what they thought about bullying:
Chloe: Being bad, being mean.
Zev: Bad means being a bully, someone who is not nice.
Emily: Somebody tells you bad stuff.
Luca: Someone who points and laughs at the person.
Sidney: Makes people sad, when you say bad things about them.
Cash: If somebody hits somebody and makes them cry.
Alexa: Somebody points and laughs at me.
Loreli: When someone hits you, other people will feel sad.
Colin: If someone pushes you to the ground, that's bullying.
Brooke: Pushed on purpose.
Emily: When they say no boys allowed.
Zev: If someone pushes you off the swing.
I was so proud of our children- deeply thinking about others and how to be a good friend. Their ideas are simple and yet they really encompass all we need to know ( that reminds me of the book "Everything I needed to Know I learnt in Kindergarten"- so true!). I hope that these dialogues and opportunities to express our feelings will lead to peaceful relationships. Relationships based on respect and concern for humanity as a whole.These are good concepts for us all to think about. What will you do to stand up to bullying? How can you help your children deal with issues around bullying?
We opened up a discussion around bullying. I wasn't sure if the children were even familiar with this term, let alone understanding its complex undertones. As usual, they surprised me.
Here are a few of the comments we heard when asked what they thought about bullying:
Chloe: Being bad, being mean.
Zev: Bad means being a bully, someone who is not nice.
Emily: Somebody tells you bad stuff.
Luca: Someone who points and laughs at the person.
Sidney: Makes people sad, when you say bad things about them.
Cash: If somebody hits somebody and makes them cry.
Alexa: Somebody points and laughs at me.
Loreli: When someone hits you, other people will feel sad.
Colin: If someone pushes you to the ground, that's bullying.
Brooke: Pushed on purpose.
Emily: When they say no boys allowed.
Zev: If someone pushes you off the swing.
I was so proud of our children- deeply thinking about others and how to be a good friend. Their ideas are simple and yet they really encompass all we need to know ( that reminds me of the book "Everything I needed to Know I learnt in Kindergarten"- so true!). I hope that these dialogues and opportunities to express our feelings will lead to peaceful relationships. Relationships based on respect and concern for humanity as a whole.These are good concepts for us all to think about. What will you do to stand up to bullying? How can you help your children deal with issues around bullying?
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