Bully’s At Work

Is it any wonder our kids need help with bullies at school?

I spent 7 years counseling people in the community. In the counseling room I heard peoples dark secrets, their dreams, their troubles, and about their suffering. People just do awful things to each other. Just when I thought I had heard it all I would hear a new story that would blow them all away. Do people really live like this?

A friend of mine, and social worker, conducted bullying programs at local schools. In meetings together we would talk about bullying in the schools, and how much children hurt each other. The schools were always willing to let counselors and programs in to help deal with this serious issue. Bullying has been the cause of children committing suicide, quitting school, doing drugs, and many other destructive behaviors.

At Work

Bullying in the schools is a serious problem, so it is surprising to find this practice in the workplace, among adults, but perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising at all. Perhaps it is a learned behavior, and the children struggling with this at school learned the behavior at home.

I sat in a meeting at work recently and listened to co-workers mock a person because of their hair style. Pictures were being hung near their office; people would laugh, and talk bad about this person every chance they got. Is this not bullying? Would we let our children act like this?

I heard one person say, “Well I don’t like it”. Isn’t that a good reason to post pictures about someone, laugh at them, and ridicule them? Because you don’t like it. As if your opinion makes the world go around, and is any excuse to treat people in that way.

In Life

Is it no wonder we struggle to take risks, try new ideas, and become the people we were made to be. This poor person at work can’t wear a man bun without being hung on a cross, so I guess I can’t be surprised when people can’t handle anything beyond that.

You know what. Life isn’t worth living if it’s according to someone else’s standard. I wish I were a man so I could wear a man bun alongside of this co-worker, and together we could face the bullies. If all it takes to rock your world is a hairstyle, what kind of life are you living.

I imagine it looks right, but inside is hollow.

I would rather be me, and face 1,000 bullies, then live life according to your standard. Do we really think our children don’t notice our behavior? Do you really believe that they aren’t picking up on the prejudice, and self-centeredness? What affect will any school program have on our children if we don’t model appropriate behavior at home?

I believe in you. I don’t have to know you to say that. If we could have coffee I wouldn’t care what color your skin is, what your hair looked like, how much money you had, what car you drove, or your heritage. I would care that you were you, and I would want to learn about you, and help you.

The world I belong to is this virtual world of creatives, bloggers, and artists. That is where I can share, and feel at home. I am trying to find it in my real world, but until I do I thank those I follow and who encourage me.

Marcy Pedersen

Also find me at www.marcypedersen.com and aprolificanthology.com.