Facts About Bullying

In order to maximize students’ awareness about bullying and to expand effective skills to deal with bullying situation, students require repeated exposure to information and reminders throughout the years of their schooling. The intention of dreamBig Press is that students’ relationships to the kitty cat characters will pave the way for increased resilience and tolerance, as well as teaching effective coping skills as a replacement for bullying behavior now and in the future.

Fast Facts About Bullying

Basic premises:

• No child deserves to be bullied.
• Bullying occurs as early as ages 3-4 and occurs in all grades. ^{(Byrne, 1994 a,b)}
• Every 7 minutes, a child is bullied on an elementary school playground. ^{(Pepler, Craig, and Roberts, 1998)}
• Studies have shown that between 15-25% of US students are bullied. ^{(Melton et. Al, 1998, Dansel et al., 2001)}
• Research has demonstrated that bullying can interfere with students’ involvement and learning in school. ^{(NEA Today, 1999)}
• Bullied youth are more likely than other children to be depressed, lonely, anxious, suffer low self-esteem, report feeling ill, and consider suicide. ^{(Limber, 2002, Olweus, 1993)}
• Both boys and girls bully. Boys may use more direct behaviors and physical aggression, while girls may rely on more indirect means aimed at damaging relationships.
• Children cannot be expected to prevent and/or stop bullying without the assistance of adults. Effective prevention and protection results from the combined efforts of parents, teachers, counselors, and school administrators working together in support of the children.
• Most bullying occurs at school, on the school bus, and at times when there is little adult supervision.