Families Find Solutions to Bullying from a Surprising Source

For many children heading into the new school year, making friends and getting good grades aren’t the only anxieties looming large in their minds. The fear of facing a bully all too often becomes an unwelcome reality.

Beginning in kindergarten, Sonya's now-9-year-old son found himself the target of a bully's attention. Virtual learning during the pandemic provided some relief, but when he returned to in-person school, the bullying started again, too. “This was the same classmate who had bothered him prior to the pandemic,” said Sonya, a resident of the Greater St. Louis area. This time, the bully displayed physical aggression in addition to name-calling. “I was worried that the incident had escalated from verbal to physical.”

His experience is far from unique. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than one in five students between the ages of 12 and 18 reported being bullied during a recent school year. And in a national study by the Cyberbullying Research Center, nearly 21% of tweens said they had been a target, aggressor or witness to bullying online or by other electronic means.

“I was bullied in school,” Sonya said. “However, I don’t remember it starting at such a young age as my son experienced.”

As parents search for ways to protect their children, a growing number of families are turning to a surprising source for practical guidance: the Bible.

Included in Sonya and her son’s regular discussions are reminders of the scriptural principles they live by as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

At times, the family also goes to jw.org, the Witnesses’ official website, where a search for the term bullying brings up a wealth of free resources including videos, articles, worksheets and other online activities on topics young people face at school. Those resources include a whiteboard animation titled “Beat a Bully Without Using Your Fists” and an animated cartoon about the powerful effect of prayer for those who are being bullied.

Sonya said she and her son watch the videos together and then talk about how they can specifically apply the suggestions. One of Sonya’s favorite tips from the whiteboard animation, based on a proverb, is to avoid places where bullying might occur, and be willing to walk away if it does.

As a result, when her son encountered bullying again, he was prepared.

“I used the Bible principle to not be mean back when others are mean to you,” he said. Then, he put into practice another tip from the whiteboard animation – tell an adult – and confided in his mother about what he was experiencing at school.

“The whiteboards are fun and easy to understand,” he said.

Madison Bechtle of Clifton, New Jersey, also turned to the Scriptures when a cyberbully started harassing her in the eighth grade with dozens of disturbing notifications on her cellphone. “It was really crazy. He was sending me pictures of my house. I was really paranoid all the time,” she said.

Reading the Bible and praying calmed her anxiety. “It’s just you and God, and you’re just talking one-on-one,” she said. “It’s very comforting, and it works.”

She also followed the practical steps outlined in the jw.org whiteboard animation “Be Social-Network Smart” to protect herself. She told her parents and teachers about the situation and deleted the social media account her bully had targeted. “I still don’t have that account to this day,” said Madison, now 21.

“Not every situation resolves so easily. But applying the Bible’s advice and focusing on the big picture can help individuals cope and maintain their sense of self-worth,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses.

“The Bible has proven to be a practical resource for many families to navigate difficult situations in life,” Hendriks said. “The principles found in this ancient book can help adults and children resolve conflict and maintain peaceful relationships with others.”

Sonya agreed that principles like the Golden Rule of treating others as you’d want to be treated, showing love and being slow to anger have helped her family in many circumstances.

She recommends the additional Bible-based resources available on jw.org to all families.

“The material is well-written, current, easy to reason on and thoroughly researched,” she said. “I'm confident of its ability to help my son endure and be resilient during any future situations that may arise.”