Cincinnati Families Find Solutions to Bullying...

As millions of children head back to school this year, more than one in five of them will be bullied, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. 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.

“Bullying is a big concern of mine. I was bullied when I was younger. I was always afraid of my girls going through that too,” said Nellie of her family of four in Loveland, OH.

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

“I spend as much time with them as I can. I talk with them. I tell then when I’m mad, happy, or sad,” said Nellie. “They know they can share their feelings with me.”

They also went to jw.org, the Witnesses’ official website, where a search for the term bullying brought up a wealth of free resources including videos, articles, worksheets and other online activities on topics young people face at school. Nellie’s girls especially recommended one of the site’s short animated videos, “Beat a Bully Without Using Your Fists” and an animated cartoon about the powerful effect of prayer for those who are being bullied.

“If I saw someone being bullied,” Nellie’s eight-year old said, “I would tell them to tell their mom and dad or a trusted adult.”

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 cell phone. “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,” said Hendriks. “The principles found in this ancient book can help adults and children resolve conflict and maintain peaceful relationships with others.”