Bullying Meeting At Jirani Coffeehouse In Manassas

MANASSAS, VA—With schools getting ready to welcome their latest class of students, here's a casual but timely way to get some tips, advice and stories about an age-old scourge: "Bullying." Set for 7-9 p.m. in Jirani Coffeehouse at 9245 West Street, it's part of the "Let's Talk About It" series, and the gathering's intentions are clear:

*Let’s explain what bullying is and help build our community to be stronger, kinder, more compassionate and accepting.

*Let’s show kids (and adults) what happens when someone is bullied.

*Let’s hear the testimonies of victims and survivors or bullying.

*Let’s hear from those working on the front line of this issue.

*Let’s educate ourselves and others by listening.

*Let’s build the confidence in ourselves and others to stand up to bullies.

*Let’s come together and talk about it.

It's being put on by Why Incorporated, Payton's Project and Jirani Coffeehouse.

Stopbullying.gov has a list of tips regarding bullying:

Signs a Child Is Being Bullied

Look for changes in the child. However, be aware that not all children who are bullied exhibit warning signs.
Some signs that may point to a bullying problem are:

• Unexplainable injuries
• Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
• Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
• Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
• Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
• Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
• Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
• Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem
• Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide

If you know someone in serious distress or danger, don’t ignore the problem. Get help right away.

Signs a Child is Bullying Others

Kids may be bullying others if they:

• Get into physical or verbal fights
• Have friends who bully others
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• Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently
• Have unexplained extra money or new belongings
• Blame others for their problems
• Don’t accept responsibility for their actions
• Are competitive and worry about their reputation or popularity

Why don't kids ask for help?

Statistics show that an adult was notified in less than half (40%) of bullying incidents. Kids don’t tell adults for many reasons:

• Bullying can make a child feel helpless. Kids may want to handle it on their own to feel in control again. They may fear being seen as weak or a tattletale.
• Kids may fear backlash from the kid who bullied them.
• Bullying can be a humiliating experience. Kids may not want adults to know what is being said about them, whether true or false. They may also fear that adults will judge them or punish them for being weak.
• Kids who are bullied may already feel socially isolated. They may feel like no one cares or could understand.
• Kids may fear being rejected by their peers. Friends can help protect kids from bullying, and kids can fear losing this support.

Image via Why Incorporated