Introduction
Did you know that around 20.4% of children aged two to five years have experienced physical bullying, while 14.6% have been verbally bullied in their lifetime (Finkelhor et al., 2009)? While research and the media give much attention to older children, little focus is paid to bullying in early childhood. Early childhood bullying is one of the main reasons suicide happens and can cause upsetting lives growing up. It is a leading cause of kids’ low self-esteem and feelings of unacceptance. Children are a part of the future in which they should be educated and guided to be better people. Children assume fewer stable roles in preschool than in older stages, and therefore a child who is a bully today might become a victim later. Few programs and assistance exist enough, which would educate children about the dangers of bullying. Many suicides have been happening over the decades, which reveals the importance of educating people about bullying, which would prevent the rising numbers of suicide cases. Even though people may not always encounter bullying or feel that they are bullies, being aware of how bullying can affect others is a significant aspect that can prevent aggression that sometimes leads to suicide.
Bullying contains different elements such as acts of aggression and intention to harm, which is repeated over time and happens in the context of power balance. According to Saracho (2017), bullying is a series of acts committed by a child, and they are intended to gain greater power over another child. The definition of bullying is a significant aspect since it differentiates it from rough and flip play and other facets of children’s developing social skills. A bully in early childhood is a dominant child who acts against other children. The victim is bullying is a clear target who fills different roles with particular peers. Finkelhor et al. (2009) argue that bullying is partly driven by social skills and emotional regulation in a child. Social and emotional skills are vital aspects that lead to challenging behaviors such as aggression in a child.
Bullying takes different forms, which cause harm or worse implications on the victim and the perpetrator. According to Winnaar et al. (2018), children may not realize the impact of aggression unless they are educated enough to understand the issue. They are continuing to grow, and their minds are continuing to learn how to control their emotions. Childhood is a crucial time in their lives that helps children learn how to be kind and aware of how they treat others. With so many children coming from so many different family backgrounds, we must teach them that not everyone comes from the same type of family. We must show them that though their demographics and backgrounds are not the same, we are all still human with feelings. We would not want anyone to feel uncomfortable or mistreated, mostly if it was one of our children.
Leadership is significant in ensuring a positive climate and minimizing harmful peer abuse in children. Adults can start making a difference in the future of our people by beginning to hold bully awareness programs to educate everyone on how they can be a bully or how they can affect a bully victim (Saracho, 2017). Teachers sometimes fail to respond to bullying instances due to a lack of adequate preparation to deal with such matters. As such, teachers can start making the children aware of bullying early on in their lives by discerning typical development processes and excessive aggression. Adults that witness bullying should step in and intervene immediately. If we intervene early and approach it head-on as it happens, it will let the children become aware that the behavior they are producing is not okay, and they will be more aware of themselves and how they could be affecting others with their bullying.
Bullying behaviors emerge in early childhood, and educators play a significant role in preventing is escalation. Early childhood educators and other stakeholders who interact with children can instill in children the skills they require to stop bullying. According to Swit (2018), failure to stop bullying might cause it to grow and spread, which leads to severe implications for the child and other people. Stopping bullying requires understanding how it develops and nipping it in the bud. Also, caregivers and educators can help a child develop social skills to stop the behavior from developing. Fostering a healthy development in a child can minimize aggression and victimization rates among children due to the positive climate in their environment (Van Dijk et al., 2017). Elements of a positive climate develop friendship and positive relationships since they help a child learn about power and express it. As a result, it leads to optimal health among children and minimizes chances of dysfunction.
People should encourage children to be open and start listening more to them to prevent early depression and anxiety, which leads to bullying. Sometimes, adults do not realize that they are not genuinely listening when their children cry for help. Caregivers and preschool teachers should take immediate action if they suspect a child being bullied. Saracho (2017) argues that parents and other adults who care for children can help them learn how to deal with emotions without using violence. For instance, a child will imitate how they see their parents doing, and therefore adults should shun violent behaviors and treat others with respect. Intervening may also imply seeking help from another adult who is in a better position to help. We as an adult can be another reason why our children are going through tough times. Adults are a significant impact on children’s lives, and we are who they look up to. If they cannot come to us for help, they will feel defeated and feel like they have no one to turn to.
Conclusion
Even though people may not always encounter bullying or feel that they are bullies, being aware of how bullying can affect others is a significant aspect that can prevent aggression, leading to suicide. Society should not be the reason behind children committing suicide over not being accepted. Bullying causes emotional trauma, and since children are in their initial stages of development, physical and verbal torture might lead to severe effects. Children learn different things from their parents, and therefore adults should avoid treating others with disrespect or causing violence that might lead to bullying. Society can be the future of its children and continue to teach them about bullying and how it impacts others' feelings and their future. Some children may not know how to respond to aggression or bully-victim, and that is why we should continue to raise awareness to reduce the cases of those affected by bullying.
