Meet Lily, Juliana, Janelle, and Catherine!They represented Girl Scouts of the USA and Southern Nevada by participating in a panel in front of more than 700 people at the National Girl Bullying and Relational Aggression Conference in June.
Teacher, counselors, and school administrators from all over the country gathered to discuss the issue of girl bullying and relational aggression in hopes of learning tools to recognize and stop it from happening in their schools.
Lily, Juliana, Janelle, and Catherine offered their opinions and personal experiences in the hopes that they might help change the life of girls all over the country. Here are a few of their ideas on how to combat girl bullying and relational aggression:
Take the bully out of the equation. When helping a friend deal with a bully, speak to the bully in private about the situation. A bully might not even realize the harm they are causing. By taking the bully out of the situation, they don't have to worry about what peers will think of them.
Find your (true) friends. If you've been bullied with rumors or gossip, to help ease feelings of hurt and isolation, find one or two true friends and confide how the gossip has hurt your feelings. Set the record straight by telling your friends quietly and confidently what's true and not true about you. Hearing a friend say, "I know the rumor's not true. I didn't pay attention to it," can help you realize that most of the time people see gossip for what it is — petty, rude, and immature.
Practice confidence. Practice ways to respond to a bully verbally or through your behavior. Practice feeling good about yourself, even if you have to fake it at first.
Most importantly is talk about it. It may help to talk to a guidance counselor, teacher, or friend — anyone who can give you the support you need. Talking can be a good outlet for the fears and frustrations that can build when you're being bullied.
Teacher, counselors, and school administrators from all over the country gathered to discuss the issue of girl bullying and relational aggression in hopes of learning tools to recognize and stop it from happening in their schools.
Lily, Juliana, Janelle, and Catherine offered their opinions and personal experiences in the hopes that they might help change the life of girls all over the country. Here are a few of their ideas on how to combat girl bullying and relational aggression:
Take the bully out of the equation. When helping a friend deal with a bully, speak to the bully in private about the situation. A bully might not even realize the harm they are causing. By taking the bully out of the situation, they don't have to worry about what peers will think of them.Find your (true) friends. If you've been bullied with rumors or gossip, to help ease feelings of hurt and isolation, find one or two true friends and confide how the gossip has hurt your feelings. Set the record straight by telling your friends quietly and confidently what's true and not true about you. Hearing a friend say, "I know the rumor's not true. I didn't pay attention to it," can help you realize that most of the time people see gossip for what it is — petty, rude, and immature.Practice confidence. Practice ways to respond to a bully verbally or through your behavior. Practice feeling good about yourself, even if you have to fake it at first.Most importantly is talk about it. It may help to talk to a guidance counselor, teacher, or friend — anyone who can give you the support you need. Talking can be a good outlet for the fears and frustrations that can build when you're being bullied.
