The following story is from the Introduction to the MOB Society’s newest resource, No More Bull: A Resource Guide to End Bullying. It’s a true story. It’s my story. And I hope it illustrates how bullying affects everyone. After you read the post, be sure to find out how you can enter to win a free copy TODAY ONLY.
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“Hey Brooke, turn around. I have something to tell you,” she said.
My sixth grade self was eating lunch in the school cafeteria when I heard her call for me, and I thought she finally wanted to be my friend. She was Miss Popularity, and I had tried to befriend her several times to no avail. Maybe this time would be different?
“Brooke! Turn around! It’s important!”
So I turned around. I looked at her with hope in my eyes, smiled, and heard her say five words that I don’t think I will ever forget . . .
“Your butt looks big today.”
Giggles from her table erupted into painful laughter, and I visibly flinched. My heart, just a few seconds before filled with hope, took a nosedive into my knees as I struggled not to break into the ugly cry in front of people I really just wanted to be my friends.
She didn’t physically hit me that day, or ever. But she broke something deep within me that took over 20 years to put back together.
Bullying, both in word and in deed, is at an all time high inside and out of our schools. According to www.bullyingstatistics.org, “there are about 160,000 children that miss school every day out of fear of being bullied.” Somewhere close to 2.7 million students are being bullied each year, and despite our nation’s efforts to bring it under control, it just seems to be getting worse, and more and more violent.
My own experience with being bullied left scars on my heart for years and, if I’m honest, still affects the way I look at myself 20+ years later. I have to fight sometimes to see myself through the lens of God’s love for me, choose to believe I’m beautiful because He says I am, and fill my mind with His truth instead of hers. As a parent, my heart breaks when I think of someone intentionally hurting my boys. And it shatters to think they might be the ones to inflict pain on someone else all in the name of fun. I bet yours does too.
SO what do we do about it?
This small resource does not hold all the answers to your questions about bullying. But it does start an important conversation about how to take one more step forward in the effort to protect our sons. In No More Bull: A Resource Guide to End Bullying, you’ll find solid information from every angle of bullying: when your son is being bullied, when your son is the bully, how to tame your inner mama bear, protecting a special needs child, and even a dad’s perspective on teaching our sons to defend the defenseless.
We pray it serves you well.
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No More Bull: A Resource Guide to End Bullying is yours for only $2.99 until Friday, November 23, 2012. After that, the price will go up to $4.99 and we’ll begin offering an affiliate program for bloggers who want to help spread the word!
TODAY ONLY, pin it to win it! {Giveaway now closed}
This is a special contest for our Pinterest lovers and it couldn’t be easier to enter! All you have to do is pin the image below and then leave us a comment on this post telling us you did. You are welcome to pin it to multiple boards and enter as many times as you like, but please remember to leave individual comments for each pin! This contest ends tonight (11/16/12) at midnight EST.
Our amazing book cover was created by Mike Thacker of MSVmedia. Mike was amazing to work with! He designed the cover of the new Hope for the Weary Mom too (isn’t it beautiful?)
pinned it. My son is in 1st grade and has experienced low level bullying already from a classmate and the classmates older brother on the bus. My son and this family has been in my prayers the last two school years. I tell my son to be bold and be loud and tell an adult as soon as you feel uncomfortable, and be a superfriend and stand up for others if you see them be mean to someone else; but I can’t follow him to school to be his cheerleader.
Pinned!
I pinned it. The scars that bullying causes do not totally go away even when the pain fades. I was verbally teased from 1st grade until my parents started homeschooling me in 7th grade. I remember finding places to hide on the playground and beginning to think that God must have made a mistake when He made me. Thank God my parents rescued me! Suffering from bullying does make kids stronger. It tears them down.
Pinned it. Thanks for writing/making available such an important resource.
I pinned it
Here is the link: http://pinterest.com/pin/189503096792025647/
My son has been bullied, and it is so hard. Our daughters have had bullies picking on their friends, and they have stood up to them, even getting physically hurt in the process. But that hasn’t stopped them from helping and standing up! More education definitely needs to be out there.
Pinned it. Thanks for the chance to win it.
I pinned it! I would love to have a resource to help me be a better parent – and to guide and protect each of my children against bullying!
I pinned it! What a great resource!
I pinned this to my Parenting Pinterest page. pinterest.com/ladybogdan/
Kelli´s last [type] ..Playful Learning
pinterest.com/ladybogdan/ I also pinned this to my Blogs board
Kelli´s last [type] ..Playful Learning
I pinned it! My husband is the school resource officer in our town, and he’s had to add more anti-bullying presentations to the schedule because it’s such a big problem.
Pinned:) What an important resource to have. I love all your ebooks!
Amy´s last [type] ..A more discipline life
http://pinterest.com/pin/206250857906231563/
Your story is very similar to mine. A state representative’s daughter bullied me through middle school – stole my house key even – and nothing ever happened to her. The principal, her mother, my parents…all blamed me for being the victim. I am just learning to trust women. It’s a long hard road. I was broken by her and others and God is healing.
Pinned it – thank for the resource. SO glad it includes what to do if your son is being bullied. My son has been from 3rd grade to 7th (now). It is so hard to know what to do.
Pinned! Thank you for putting this together. My 12 yr old son has been battling bullying for the last two years and it is SO difficult trying to change the whole culture of a school. The more resources I can have at my disposal, the better off I am in teaching others.
Pinned again! (Man, I LOVE Pinterest!!)
I pinned it. Thank you for these resources that allow us a parents to know how to help our sweet boys.
pinned it
I pinned!! {lisamg2012}
I pinned it to my Books to Read board! (annmc74)
Annabelle´s last [type] ..Life is crazy!!