Childhood Bullying Seminar | Alma Community Care

Childhood bullying

Claudia Rios-Gastelum
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

This seminar is also presenting by Angel Vargas, LMFT and available here

Fall 2023

Bullying is the use of aggression with the intent of hurting another person. It includes:

Physical violence and attacks
Verbal taunts, name calling, and put-downs
Threats and intimidation
Stealing of money and possessions
Exclusion from the peer group

Bullying is intentional. The target does not knowingly provoke the bully and may have made it clear that the behavior is unwelcome.

The behavior is often repetitive. Bullying is generally a repeated action, but can sometimes be a single incident.

There is an imbalance of power. The notion that the powerful have the right to intimidate the powerless.

Claudia continues by dispelling common myth's.

Myth

Words will never hurt you

Truth

Even though words don’t leave bruises or broken bones, they can leave deep emotional scars.

Myth

Bullying will make kids tougher

Truth

Bullying does NOT make someone tougher. It often has the opposite effect lowering a child’s sense of self-esteem and self-worth. Bullying creates fear and increases anxiety for a child.

Myth

Children and youth who are bullied will almost always tell an adult

Truth

Most studies find that only 25%-50% of bullied children report to an adult. They may fear retaliation or that adults won't take their concerns seriously.

Myth

Bullied kids need to learn how to deal with bullying on their own

Truth

Some children have the confidence and skills to stop bullying when it happens, but many do not. Adults have critical roles to play in helping to stop bullying, as do other children who witness or observe bullying.

Claudia then shares the warning signs parents and caregivers should watch for, and then what they can do to help.

Lastly, she concludes the seminar by sharing the San Diego Unified School District anti-bullying policy and where you can report it.