My 8 Year Old Talks About Bullying

We’ve all been bullied. It sucks. But some would say inevitable. But bullying isn’t exclusive to school yards and classrooms, especially in the age of social media. Bullying is at school, work, at home, online, and involving people of all ages. So what can wearing a pink shirt do on a day like today?

It’s an easy, powerful visual to show the victims of bullying you stand with them and are an ally. It’s a symbol of a safe space, and a conversation starter to make people think & evaluate their environments. But us talking heads on the radio, tv, and on social media can hit all the talking points and post all the pics we want, but are we listening?

Here’s a raw, unedited, plain ol’ REAL conversation with my 8 year old daughter Helena, about what a bully is, what to do when you encounter bullying, and what bullying she has experienced.

Not everyone is as outgoing as she is (she gets it from her Daddy for sure), and so not everyone has the capabilities to “simply ignore” or deflect bullying with humour or wit. And not everyone has the confidence to endure or to not believe in what a bully says. So, it’s all the more important to Rock Your Pink Shirt, almost like a bat signal…you’re a friend, you’re a safe space, and bullying is NOT cool!

McCully