Summer is in full swing, and there are many kids who participate in summer sports, go to summer camp, and play with friends in the neighborhood. This is one of the highlights during the summer. Unfortunately, according to StopBullying.gov, bullying is still a significant issue for kids of all ages. A few statistics about bullying from StopBullying.gov include:
- One in five students ages 12-18 experienced bullying nationwide.
- Bullying most commonly takes place in classrooms, hallways, and stairwells.
- Approximately 15 percent of bullying takes place the digital world, such as online or via text.
If you are wondering about a bullying definition, this is the practice of verbally, physically, or emotionally targeting a child, making that child feel bad about himself or herself. Unfortunately, bullying statistics show that this is a common practice among kids, particularly during the summer. Fortunately, there are several anti bullying strategies you can follow to stop bullying this summer. What can you do to keep kids safe?
Address Competition and Teamwork at Sports-Based Camps
Sports are a popular pastime for kids of all ages and backgrounds. They are important because they teach kids about competition, teamwork, and perseverance. Unfortunately, it is easy for competition to descend into bullying. According to Author: Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD, author at MedicineNet.com, “Nearly half of high school students and more than half of college students who have been part of a club, team, fraternity, sorority, or other organization have been hazed at some time. Therefore, it is important to keep the focus on teamwork, teaching kids how to win and lose with grace. By teaching kids how to be a part of a team, it is possible to reduce bullying that takes place on the sports field. Coaches are in the perfect position to teach kids how to stop bullying, so this should be an important element of every summer camp.
Discuss Different Religions at Faith-Based Camps
Unfortunately, religion is often the foundation for bullying activities. There are a lot of kids who attend faith-based summer camps, so this is an important topic of discussion. It is good for kids to have religious beliefs; however, it is also important to teach kids not to discriminate against other people based on religion. Therefore, it may be helpful to teach kids about other religions as well. Faith-based leaders can encourage moral engagement, teaching kids how to exhibit empathy and tolerance. It might be helpful to encourage self-expression that these summer camps as well, teaching kids to accept people who are different from themselves.
Educate Kids by Setting a Good Example
It is also critical for parents and educators to teach kids by setting a good example. Model the behavior you want to see in your children. If you set a good example, kids will follow. Make sure you teach kids it is okay to spend time with people who are different from themselves. Encourage kids to learn more from others who have different backgrounds. Encourage kids to applaud others are being different instead of discriminating against them. This is particularly important during water activities, where kids may be wearing bathing suits, opening the door to body-shaming. Set a good example for children by modeling good behavior.
Take Steps To Stop Bullying This Summer
These are a few important steps you can take to reduce bullying this summer. StopBullying.gov has a number of resources including lists of things kids, teens, and adults can do to keep yourself and others safe from bullying. Unfortunately, bullying is still a major issue for kids of all ages. Therefore, it is important for adults to educate children, encourage teamwork, and make sure everyone feels included. By taking steps to reduce bullying, we can set kids up for success in the future.
