BULLIES: Girls warn of girl bullies

Recently I attended a meeting where elementary aged girls were talking about girl on girl bullying.

As I sat and listened, I was saddened and angry as I heard girls describe how they felt when they were being bullied. As each girl bravely began to tell her story there were visible signs of fear, discomfort and anxiety. Tears begin to fall down their faces as their stories came to an end. The girls’ experience was directly related to girl bullying. They shared experiences of gossiping, excluding others, teasing about clothing, weight, hair and athletic ability.

As a parent, my family has faced bullying many times. I thought it was because we are perceived as quirky and different. However, I discovered you don’t have to be different to be bullied.

Here are some statistics:

• A girl is bullied every seven minutes.

• Almost one-third of girls are directly involved in bullying.

• Only 15 percent of the girls bullied actually tell someone.

Let’s protect our girls and help them understand self-worth. It is important to take bullying seriously and not brush off what your child tells you as simply part of growing up. Listen, look and watch for clues that something may be wrong.

KIM STEARNS

Coeur d’Alene