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9 Myths About Bullying

It's not always easy to spot—and sometimes parents are to blame

By Evann Gastaldo, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 17, 2010 5:03 PM CDT

(Newser) – Bullying has become a cause célèbre (though some insist it’s not a crime). In Newsweek, bullying expert Rachel Simmons breaks down nine common myths about the practice:

It’s easy to spot: The truth is, “kids are adept at stealth nastiness” and “bullies are talented chameleons”—making it easy for even the most tuned-in adults to be manipulated.
It’s a recent problem: Adults are fond of insisting, “We never acted like that when we were their age.” But they did—and it’s time to “come clean and level with kids” about it.

Only kids can be bullies: Parents, too, “exclude children and parents from parties, playdates, and coffee, or publicly gossip about other people’s children. Until parents hold themselves to the same standards we impose on our kids, real change will be impossible.”
It’s not my kid: “Aggression in children is not the central problem; denying it is.” Parental denial can make teachers “reluctant to initiate much-needed interventions, leading to a culture of gossip and fear.”

For the complete list, click here. For full coverage of this hot topic, click here.

Bullying may not always be as obvious or easy to spot as this. (Shutter Stock)

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9 Myths About Bullying

It's not always easy to spot—and sometimes parents are to blame

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