The Truth About Bullying Lifebabble

Hey, Lifebabblers.

Today we're talking about something

that affects so many people -

bullying.

The Lifebabble team are here to tackle it

and tell you some truths.

Let's start with the basics.

Let's be honest, bullying is a nightmare.

At home or at school,

by one person or even a group of people -

it can take loads of different forms.

Like being teased.

Being insulted.

Being threatened.

Being ignored, excluded or left out.

Being the butt of all jokes.

Having rumours or personal information spread about you.

Being kicked, pushed, hit or physically hurt.

Bullying isn't always easy to spot.

Sometimes it can be subtle and happen over time.

You could be bullied for all kinds of reasons,

like your accent.

Or because you wear glasses.

-BOTH:

-You stand out from the crowd.

Or just because of who you are.

Bullying can happen online, in person or on your phone.

Like I said, nightmare.

Even when people know that they are being bullied,

it can be really difficult to make it stop.

Sometimes people struggle because they don't know what to do.

They might be scared that if they say something

then they could make the situation worse.

Or don't want to get the other person in trouble.

They may even think it's their fault.

And sometimes people don't even realise they're being bullied.

You don't have to deal with bullying on your own

and help is available.

Tell someone.

Never keep bullying to yourself.

It can be hard to deal with all the negative emotions

that come with being bullied,

but being nasty back will only hurt in the long run.

Build your confidence.

Think about what's good in your life and what's good about you.

Give yourself praise for it.

Practise being assertive so you feel confident being you.

You are entitled to your own opinion.

Saying what you feel

and how you feel doesn't come naturally to everyone.

It's a skill and it takes practice.

Remember that if it is dealt with,

things will get better.

It can be hard to believe,

but you can and you will get through this.

PHONE RINGS

-GIRL:

-I was bullied for my appearance

cos I was a little bit bigger than some of the other girls

and I was a bit smarter.

So I'd be called silly things like nerd and geek

and I wore glasses a lot.

To help myself, I decided to stop interacting with people

who were bullying me and just getting me down,

which helped a lot.

And as I've got older,

I've learnt I don't have to worry what people think of me

and I've got loads of brilliant friends now

who support me through everything.

I've been bullied before because I'm transgender

and it was the worst feeling ever.

And the best thing to do, which is what I did,

is to stay strong, stay proud, and be who you are.

Yes, I've experienced bullying.

I ended up telling a teacher and distancing myself from those friends

because the bullying made me feel really sad and lonely.

My best advice for bullying is to get support and talk to someone.

# There's a boy in my class

# He always gives me grief when I walk past

# Just because I don't like the same bands as him

# There's kids who point and laugh

# They say I'm too tall

# But that's not fair at all

# Well, what can I do about that?

# There's nothing wrong with me

# It's make believe the things that they say

# I know who I am

# And the great things that I do

# So to your mean words I say

# No, thank you. #

That's all for this Lifebabble.

No-one deserves to be bullied.

For more help and support, head to the CBBC website.

Be true to yourself, and remember, keep on babbling.