While teens may be hesitant to share them, they have big ideas about how we (that is, adults) impact bullying in their lives. Dr. Barbara Greenberg, a clinical psychologist, spent time with groups of teens over the summer and reveals insightful findings on Huffingtonpost.com. Did you know that most teens have witnessed bullying and lack confidence that telling an adult will lead to positive outcomes? While they are not always sure how to personally intervene, they harbor some pretty pro-social thoughts for dealing with bullying, including interjecting humor and extending empathy and friendship toward the bully.

In addition, young people are keen observers, and they notice when adults are not behaving respectfully. They hear adults gossiping about each other and suspect that some parents bully their own children at home. Dr. Greenberg writes, “They worry that you may be encouraging exclusivity, cliquey behavior and even physical aggression.”

Dr. Greenberg concludes, “Your kids and I are calling upon you to be aware of your role and power in helping to both raise good kids and to become even more aware of the terrible interactional cycle of bullying that continues to persist in high schools all over.”

With this in mind, many anti-bullying resources, like H.E.A.R., help kids understand how important it is to reporting bullying to an adult. H.E.A.R.’s Parent and Educator Guides also highlight the importance of modeling respectful behavior, taking reports of bullying seriously and responding effectively.
To read Dr. Greenberg’s article, Click Here!

To learn more about H.E.A.R. and to explore resources, such as the Parent and Educator Guides, Click Here!