As a kid who changed schools four times before the sixth grade and was regularly on the wrong side of girls? fashion, I was subject to my share of torment. But the B-word never entered my mind. In fact, I barely mentioned these incidents to my parents. Was I bullied" Perhaps. I was definitely snubbed, teased and ostracized at times. But that was the ?80s, when our worst weapons (scribbled notes" sneaky phone calls") were a far cry from today?s surround-sound social media. This was before bullying became synonymous with going to school in North America?or with suicide.
Fast-forward a generation and my daughter had to face her first bullying situation in senior kindergarten?yes, SK. A six-month ordeal that broke my heart, challenged my ideas about bullying as an older-kid thing and definitely messed with my concept of kindergarten as ABCs and ?Kumbaya.? Talking to friends and other parents, I quickly learned that something?maybe everything?had changed. Over the years, bullying has crept into the lower grades and become a much more common occurrence. Today, there is anti-bullying legislation for schools in many provinces across Canada to help address the problem and keep kids safe. Experts recommend paying close attention to your child if you even get a whiff of them being targeted (or targeting others) and taking time to learn about the best steps to address and prevent today?s forms of bullying.
1. MYTH: Bullies are just mean, angry kids.  
Bullying behaviour...