Remember that campaign several years ago, advising young people to "Just Say No" to drugs?
I have a suggestion for a new campaign.
One to stop the bullying that is rampant in this country, from four year olds to senior citizens.
"KNOCK IT OFF!"
That was an expression my mother used years ago when she wanted my siblings and I to stop a behavior she found unacceptable.
Clear, concise, and to the point.
Maybe it's time to stop analyzing why certain kids are bullied. Time to stop telling the victims they need to be stronger or more assertive.
Let's simply tell the bullies to
"Knock it off!"
Years ago, when one of my kids was being bullied by a female student seven years her senior, I spoke to her First Grade Teacher while in the lunchroom.
She immediately called over the bully and after a few minutes of discussion told her to "just stop it."
And you know what? It worked!
The Eighth Grade student stopped it. She had been called out on her bad behavior, told it was unacceptable and it needed to stop. End of discussion.
"Bullying," like experimenting with drugs and alcohol is not some "Rite of passage" all kids need to experiment with.
It's cruel and completely unnecessary.
Perhaps the real problem is that we need to convince the parents of the bullies, before we can convince the bullies themselves that everyone needs to....
KNOCK IT OFF!
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