Most of us remember the sting of not being invited to a friend’s party or the particular loneliness of having nowhere to sit at lunchtime, but for some kids, these everyday social situations turn from uncomfortable rites of passage to harmful childhood bullying.
Please watch our No Mean Girls video to see how we shape our community at camp so that our campers and staff feel accepted, safe and valued. Learn how we teach our campers the right ways to speak up for yourself and how to become upstanders instead of bystanders.
Bullying is not a normal part of growing up; it is a learned form of overt and aggressive behavior, characterized as repetitive and intentionally hurtful. Fortunately, these learned behaviors can be unlearned with the help of a supportive, caring community.
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, close to half of all children will experience school bullying (either as victim or bully), with about one in 10 cases reported as occurring on a regular basis.
Social intimidation or domination creates an atmosphere of fear, loneliness, and depression, can cause or worsen existing eating and anxiety disorders, and—as we’ve seen all too often in the news—increase the risk of suicide. However, the torment and frustration of bullying manifest, this kind of behavior hurts everyone: victims, bullies, and bystanders.
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