During teenage years, most people are still in the stage where they are trying to figure out who they are and what they’re good at. Bullying is often a problem during this time because kids are feeling self-conscious about their own strengths and weaknesses and it manifests itself in bringing other people down to feel better about themselves. Bullies will try to pick on anything from a person’s body to the clothes they wear.
You will hear adults and teachers say that you should tell someone if you are being bullied or see someone being made fun of, but I don’t necessarily agree with that. Telling on the person usually leads to more harm than good. Being known as a “tattle tail” is just another thing other bullies will feed on to continue picking on you. Unless there is threatening language or physical abuse, try to use my method below.
The key to put an end to it may take some time; however, respect tends to be the result. When someone calls makes a harmful comment to you, instead of showing that it has hurt you, volley something back their way. In a way it can be considered a kind of playful retaliation.
First, laugh at what they say even though it may hurt your feelings, and then point out something about them. Don’t make it too mean because you don’t want to become a bully yourself, but you still want to establish the fact that you will not just take their verbal assault. After time, they will give up on their attempts to make fun of you and gain respect for you because you stand up for yourself. Word will travel fast like it always does in middle/high school, and before you know it, people will no longer attempt to bring you down for no apparent reason.
-Matt Nanne, AIT Contributor