Almost all of our kids will be bullied, or be a witness to bullying, to some degree in their schooling years. The studies vary on how often, how many kids, and who gets bullied, but the fact is that too many kids are victims of this phenomenon. The consequences of bullying can be disastrous. It can lead to physical injury, social and emotional scarring, lower academic achievements, self-harm, mental health struggles, and even death. Kids who bully others and are bullied themselves are at the greatest risk for mental health and behavioral problems. What is bullying? According to Psychology Today, bullying is a distinctive pattern of repeatedly and deliberately harming and humiliating others, specifically those who are smaller, weaker, younger or in any way more vulnerable than the bully. The deliberate targeting of those of lesser power is what distinguishes bullying from garden-variety aggression.
Who Gets Bullied and What to Look For The statistics are all over the place with bullying. Some things we do know are that a higher percentage of males than females report being physically bullied, whereas a higher percentage of girls report being the subjects of rumors and exclusion. As far as cyberbullying, it is reported the most among middle schoolers. Those that are cyberbullied are likely to be bullied offline as well. Students with specific learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, emotional and behavior disorders, and speech or language impairments are more often victims of bullying than their peers without disabilities. Also, students of color, and those who identify or are perceived as LGBTQ are at a higher risk. Not all kids who are bullied ask for help. It is estimated that less than half of bullied students notify an adult at school. There are some signs to look for but understand that not all kids show signs. Another thing to note is that simply observing bullying can lead to a negative impact on mental health. When school-age kids are victims of bullying, they are much more likely to have headaches and stomachaches, depression, anxiety, and behavioral problems. They might even experience sleep issues and nightmares, dropping grades, and may even drop out of school. They may come home from school with unexplained injuries, destroyed or lost personal belongings, and may also start showing discipline problems, as well as becoming increasingly more aggressive. Not surprisingly, there is also a strong association between bullying and suicide-related behaviors. Who Bullies and What to Look For Children who feel secure and supported at home, school, and among their peers are less likely to bully. There are several factors that may contribute to youth that bully, but every individual is unique. Those who bully chronically tend to have strained relationships with parents and peers, and may also have school factors and emotional factors to consider. Due to these struggles, bullying can be a way of establishing social dominance. This can lead to a downward spiral if not addressed properly. Some of these behaviors may actually be cries for help. Research shows that long-term bullies lack prosocial behavior, are not troubled by anxiety, do not understand others’ feelings, and often do not accept responsibility for their actions. They often misread the intentions of others and tend to have a kind of paranoia. As with kids who get bullied, kids who are the bullies have a higher risk of suicide-related behaviors. What Can Be Done The good news is that bullying is a behavior that can be changed. Those that bully or are bullied can benefit from support from school, the community, and trusted adults. These adults can teach new social and emotional skills, as well as healthy peer connections. At the onset, the best defense against bullying is teaching kids social skills and helping them develop confidence in their own abilities. The second-best defense against bullying is to walk away and not fight back. As parents, we can regularly inquire about challenges our kids are having, and maybe even role-play some solutions. It's also beneficial to understand safety while using technology. Cyberbullying is a real thing. It's important to teach kids to use social media responsibly, respectfully, and safely and to keep their passwords private. If you are the victim or a witness in cyberbullying, don’t engage in any conversation online where bullying is occurring. Bullying should never be ignored. For issues that are severe, persistent, or unresolved, the individual(s) who has(have) been the target of bullying or who has observed bullying should report the incident in writing or verbally to a staff member at that school. Northshore School District is committed to a safe environment for its students where everyone is treated with respect, and no one is physically or emotionally harmed. NSD makes it easy to report tips on bullying, harassment, or any safety issue through SafeSchools Alert. Reporting can be done online, through an app, or by calling, texting, or emailing. NSD's SafeSchools Alert can be used by students, families, or staff to report the incident and can also be done anonymously.
This article was brought to you by Northshore Council's Mental Health Committee. Visit our Mental Health Awareness Resources page to learn more about this committee and the other resources they have provided.
Northshore Council PTSA is offering a FREE parent education event on Digital Safety presented by Jo Langford. Join us as Jo Langford discusses the "3 Big Bads: Sexting, Cyberbullying, and Porn." Date: Monday, March 14th Time: 7:00PM Registration*: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtduyrpzMjG9CIxqket_v4YFo1KeTlDHXC This presentation will include:
To learn more about Jo Langford, visit his website. *Deadline to register is 4pm on Monday, March 14th. This event is brought to you by Council's Mental Health Committee through a grant from Council's Educational Speakers & Community Events Grants program. Questions? Email Council's Mental Health Committee! Council Business:
Bond & Levies Support/Opposition Vote: Council's Board of Directors put forward the issue of supporting the bond and levies that are on the February ballot. During this meeting, both the pro and con positions on the issue were presented before calling for a motion to determine our PTSA’s support of or opposition to the bond and levies. Council would like to announce that the motion to support the Northshore School District Bond & Levies on the February 8th Ballot was passed unanimously. Learn more... District Updates:
Council Committee Reports:
We hope you will join us for our next General Membership Meeting on March 21st, 2022 @ 7pm. For a full list of our upcoming meetings and events, check out our Calendar. Calling All PTA Advocates for Mental Health Awareness Council's Mental Health Committee has been noticing inconsistencies with the accessibility to a school's mental health resources. We are asking our local leaders to take a few minutes to check out the website for their school to determine the following:
After checking out your school's website, if you find these things hard to locate or not available, we encourage you to advocate with your school office staff and principal to get these things included. If your school is already doing a great job at making mental health information accessible, we would love to know! Please email the link to your school's website so we can share it as a resource with other PTA leaders and schools looking to improve their mental health accessibility and awareness. Last month Council held their 2nd General Meeting of the 2021-2022 school year. We appreciate all the local leaders from across the district as well as community and school partners who took the time to attend! Continue reading for a recap of this meeting.
General Updates from President Jane Chiodo:
Council Business: The minutes from the September 2021 meeting were approved as written. Council's AIM insurance for the year was renewed and paid for in October. The mid year financial review committee was appointed while the election for the Nominating Committee was postponed until the next membership meeting. Guest Speakers:
Council Reports:
We hope you will join us for our next General Membership Meeting on January 20th, 2022 @ 7pm. For a full list of our upcoming meetings and events, check out our Calendar. In our area of the Pacific Northwest, many of us suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Often when the seasons change to fall and winter and the days get shorter and darker, we might feel sad and not ourselves. We may have trouble sleeping, overeating, and have low motivation. Not only is SAD common in people with depressive disorders, but also those with anxiety, panic, or eating disorders, and those with ADHD. SAD affects mostly women, and generally the onset is between ages 20-30 years of age. This means it may not affect our children as much as us caregivers. We need to take care of ourselves so that we can take care of our loved ones. While it is not fully known what causes SAD, research shows that low levels of the brain chemical serotonin plays a large role, as well as high levels of melatonin. Both of these help maintain daily body rhythms, along with sufficient levels of vitamin D. Traditional treatments include light therapy, vitamin D, talking to a therapist, and possibly some medications. Additionally, with the holidays approaching, even more of us may suffer the Holiday Blues. This time of year can bring more anxiety, depression, stress, loneliness, unrealistic expectations, and even memories of the past that can lead to sadness. It might be helpful to remember that the Holiday Blues are short term, however, the effects can still feel all-consuming and should be taken seriously. Here are a few ideas for Avoiding the Holiday Blues and SAD: Get plenty of sleep Keep routines Exercise, even a little Sit by a sunny window Keep things simple Eat a well-balanced diet Set reasonable expectations and boundaries Do things that make you happy Take time for yourself to recharge Don’t overschedule If these coping strategies do not help, consider talking to your doctor or your mental health professional. Check out these links for more information:
Tips for Managing the Holiday Blues | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness Seasonal Affective Disorder (nih.gov) Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) | Mental Health America (mhanational.org) This article was brought to you by Northshore Council's Mental Health Committee. Visit our Mental Health Awareness Resources page to learn more about this committee and the other resources they have provided. On Wednesday, November 17th we had the opportunity to hear a presentation from Kendra Read, Ph.D. titled "Identifying and Addressing Youth Anxiety". Anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns youth face. While it is a normal emotional experience, it can grow to become incredibly distressing and interfering, particularly during a global pandemic. When anxiety is present, caregivers (parents, educators, family members) have an important role in helping youth identify anxiety and encouraging and reinforcing brave vs. anxious behavior. In the video below, Kendra Read, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the UW School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, discusses how to identify, understand, and begin to intervene in cases of problematic anxiety. We want to thank Dr. Read for the informational and engaging presentation. If you missed it or want to listen again, we have made a recording of this presentation available, which can be viewed by clicking the image below. Please note, this recording does not include the live Q&A portion. BIO: Kendra Read, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, the Director of the Mood & Anxiety Program and Director of Anxiety Programs at Seattle Children’s. She received her PhD in clinical psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA under the mentorship of Philip Kendall, Ph.D., and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Stanford University School of Medicine in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department. Dr. Read specializes in the treatment of youth with anxiety disorders and OCD from a cognitive behavioral therapy perspective. Her research interests include understanding factors that contribute to treatment outcome, and the dissemination and implementation of CBT for anxiety disorders. This event is brought to you by the Northshore Council Mental Health Committee. For questions, please email mentalhealth@northshorecouncilptsa.org Council invites you to join our upcoming FREE Parent Education event: Identifying and Addressing Youth Anxiety
Date: Wednesday, November 17th Time: 1:00PM Presenter: Kendra Read, PHD Registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMof-qsrj4sEtAo99u6WIpQ_dOQG5MqDX98 Zoom link will be emailed to those who have registered prior to the event. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns youth face. While it is a normal emotional experience, it can grow to become incredibly distressing and interfering, particularly during a global pandemic. When anxiety is present, caregivers (parents, educators, family members) have an important role in helping youth identify anxiety, and encouraging and reinforcing brave vs. anxious behavior. Kendra Read, PhD, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the UW School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, will discuss how to identify, understand and begin to intervene in cases of problematic anxiety for the youth in your lives. BIO: Kendra Read, PhD is a clinical psychologist, the Director of the Mood & Anxiety Program and Director of Anxiety Programs at Seattle Children’s. She received her PhD in clinical psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA under the mentorship of Philip Kendall, Ph.D., and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Stanford University School of Medicine in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department. Dr. Read specializes in the treatment of youth with anxiety disorders and OCD from a cognitive behavioral therapy perspective. Her research interests include understanding factors that contribute to treatment outcome, and the dissemination and implementation of CBT for anxiety disorders. This event is brought to you by the Northshore Council Mental Health Committee. For questions, please email mentalhealth@northshorecouncilptsa.org. Please Note: If you were trying to register recently and received an error message or a notice that the registration was full, please try again. There is still space available. If you are still having trouble registering, please contact Council at communications@northshorecouncilptsa.org. Northshore Council PTSA has a Mental Health Committee, and we want you!
We welcome all parents and guardians to join the conversation. The goal of this committee is to promote mental health awareness and partner to bring relevant trainings, events, and resources to our community. This is a new committee that we just started last school year. If you are interested in joining or learning more about the Mental Health Committee, please complete the Mental Health Committee Interest Form. We try to meet monthly; our next meeting is November 8th at 7pm via Zoom. Join us!
We hope you find these resources helpful as you continue to navigate these often stressful and strange pandemic times. Always remember: Mental Health matters and reaching out for help if you are struggling is as important as going to the doctor if you feel physically unwell. |
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