As stated in the previous installment of Teenage Optimism, a verbal exchange with a bully ought to be avoided.

A bully is not worth the attention or aggravation.

What if the bully is in one’s face?

Ignoring is valuable sometimes; a confrontation is necessary at other times.

For children and young adults, identifying the right action for the right moment against a specific threat is a skill.

GOSSIP.

Never alter your routine to placate a bully.

You risk continuously changing yourself for the rest of your life.

Not to mention, doing what pleases the bully inadvertently encourages and rewards bullying.

Examine yourself to understand the side talk.

For instance, if the taunt is on a physical trait – race, skin colour, height, weight, skin texture, eyes, breast size, buttocks – acknowledge that is an intrinsic part of you.

There is little or nothing you can do about the way you were created.

Nor should you expend your energy trying to change your physical attributes.

As you become older, you will begin to relax over any uncomfortable features.

The taunts will persist even well into adulthood, but your guarantee is your confidence.

Yes, no matter how hurtful a remark is, your head held high is a resounding slap in the face of a bully.

If you are mocked for your intellectual acuity, I hope you do not consider losing grades, so as to be as everyone else.

Is your middle name everyone else?

If studying hard and getting good grades are negative to fellow students, be outstanding.

If your grades are not excellent, attend extra class tutorials, and seek the assistance of well-meaning students.

Never make friends with a gossip.

Such a gossip will have access to further private lifestyle choices which, of course, will be disclosed to others.

PHYSICAL THREAT.

If a bully confronts you or obstructs your path, retreating is a good idea only if you will find safety or an adult.

If not, it is best to reach the nearest and safest place – your home, class, a store or a police station.

If that means fighting to reach safety, do just that.

Never apologise to a bully.

Remember: Bullying rarely occurs out of sight.

That means you are likely to witness a fellow student or young person being bullied.

Offer your assistance by, at least, reporting the incident to an authority.

If safe for you to do, intervene personally and speak in defence of the recipient of bullying.

Better still, become the friend of one who is being bullied.

A student, who is bullied, needs your visible care and solidarity.

•Umm Sulaim is the Publisher of Umm Sulaim’s Thoughts (https://iamummsulaim.wordpress.com)

Copyright © 2019 Umm Sulaim. All rights reserved.

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