Today's post doesn't come with statistics... I am not a psychologist, psychiatrist or a professional by any means but I have lived and I have experienced things so this is very real to me!
As a kid in middle school and high school I was teased, just like pretty much everyone else at one point or another in their life. A little teasing is to be expected when you have a group of kids together I suppose. What I have read about and seen on the news in the past few years in regard to the increase in bullying of children is horrendous! Kids have gotten so incredibly mean, judgemental and downright heartless. But the reasons, I believe, are all still the same.
When I think back to when I was teased I think about the kids that did it to me and I recognize something... those kids were all hurting. In many cases they had issues at home with their parents, some sort of drug or alcohol abuse was or had taken place, they had feelings of neglect, they questioned themselves and their self-worth, their value... for whatever reason. Many of these kids "picked on" other people because they were quiet, didn't stand up for themselves and were basically "easy targets".
Not once did any of these bullys pick on someone that would have put them in their place. They steered clear of these people. They didn't want to have someone stand up to them and call them out for what they really were/are... a scared, sad kid! They would usually, as I recall, try to buddy up with anyone like this since they viewed them as a challenge. (If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!)
We have to learn to teach our children to get involved in something that promotes positive behavior, something that teaches them the value of hard work, something that will make them feel good... not just good, GREAT about themselves! Something that will make them walk proud and walk tall. Something that makes them know that it doesn't matter what stupid things people may say to or about them because they know deep down inside that they are proud of themselves! They have CONFIDENCE!
One of the quickest ways to build self confidence is through working out. I KNOW this... I am living this!!! I know the difference I felt in myself after the first week in the gym. I committed myself to working out to build a healthier, leaner, better, more confident ME!
Do yourself a favor and sit outside of the gym for 15 minutes and watch people walk out the door. I can guarantee you that those people are walking with more confidence, even if they aren't at their target weight or where they want to be eventually!
If you are working out you are taking control over you... over your life! YOU are making the decision to better yourself. The strength that you gain not only in your body but in your mind are inconceivable... until you do it!
Take your kids to the gym with you. Teach them to take this time for themselves. Teach them the value of their hard work at the gym and show them the results - being stronger, healthier, leaner, better mood, the list is endless! More confident kids may just be the secret to a decline in the bullying epidemic that we are dealing with! Am I sure... NO... but would it hurt to give it a try???
<3 this! Its so true about the bullying. A friend and I were just talking about it the other day and we said that we were picked on just a little in school and that when the bullys saw we really didnt pay attention to what they had to say, they moved on to the next victim. I wish we could all teach our kids to be self confident and secure so that this trend we are seeing would stop. Who knows what these kids could acheive if they didnt let themselves and others get in their way!
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