<<< Intro | One | Two | Three | Five >>>

Six Inappropriate Behaviors Recently Seen on TV and Tips for Handling

Behavior 4: Flinging Personal Insults

Really? I can’t believe that I even need to address this, but based on last week, I guess I do.

Really? I can’t believe that I even need to address this, but based on last week, I guess I do.

When we teach kids how to deal with bullying we play a game. First, we teach them to stand in their power stances, hands up in front of their chests like a crossing guard would stopping traffic, and say, “I don’t care what you say, I love me just the way I am!”

We do this a few times and then break the group into two teams. The first team picks a nonsensical name to call the other team of kids, like “mushrooms.” “You all are a bunch of mushrooms!”

And once they know what they are going to say, all at once they yell it at the other team. The other team mimics catching the words and then throws them behind them. Then they respond with, “I don’t care what you say, I love me just the way I am!” Then they switch roles.

Because kids get it. It doesn’t really matter what the words are, it is how it is said that counts.

We don’t let them really curse at each other and yet, it is still very effective. Because kids get it. It doesn’t really matter what the words are, it is how it is said that counts. So, whether I call you a jerk or a mushroom, it hurts just the same.

One would hope that adults already understood that this is not how people should behave.