• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Illustrated Ministry

Progressive Faith Resources for the Church & Home

  • About
  • For Churches
  • For Families
  • Products
    • Complete Catalog
    • Advent
      • An Illustrated Advent for Families: Now in Flesh Appearing
      • Now in Flesh Appearing Advent Devotional
      • Now in Flesh Appearing Advent Worship Liturgy Set
      • Advent Themes ⇨
        • Now in Flesh Appearing
        • God With Us
        • Do Not Be Afraid
        • In Light and Darkness
      • Family Devotionals
      • Coloring Posters
    • Curriculum
      • Mini Revolutions Curriculum (based on the RCL)
      • Compassion Camp
      • The Beatitudes: An Illustrated Curriculum
      • The Lord’s Prayer: An Illustrated Curriculum
      • An Illustrated Invitation: Joining God at Work in the World
      • An Illustrated Compassion: Learning to Love Like God
      • An Illustrated Earth: Celebrating God’s Creation
    • Illustrated Worship Resources
      • Fall 2022
      • Summer 2022
      • Spring 2022
      • Winter 2021-2022
    • Lent
      • New for 2023
        An Illustrated Lent for Families: This is My Body
      • New for 2023
        This is My Body Lenten Devotional
      • New for 2023
        This is My Body Lenten Worship Liturgy Set
      • Lent Resources
      • Family Lenten Devotionals
      • Lenten Devotionals
      • Lent & Easter Worship Videos
      • Virtual Easter Pageant
      • Coloring Posters
    • Pentecost
      • Pentecost Coloring Page & Poster
      • Pentecost Coloring Page & Poster – Spanish-language Version
    • Coloring Pages & Posters
    • Illustrated Cards & Stickers
      • Greeting Cards
      • Stickers
      • 1.25″ Pinback Buttons
    • Spanish-Language Resources
  • Blog
    • Coloring Posters
    • Community Spotlight
    • Curriculum
    • Faith Formation
    • Family Ministry
    • Outreach & Mission
    • Product Updates
    • Reviews
    • Sunday School
    • Tutorials
    • Worship
  • FB Group
  • Contact Us
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Licensing Terms
    • Multi-Entity License Request Form
    • Submit Product Ideas
    • We’re Hiring!
  • SHOP
You are here: Home / Activism / Shut Down Bullying and Equip Kids to Be Agents of Love

Shut Down Bullying and Equip Kids to Be Agents of Love

Alissa Ellett Leave a Comment

We must take responsibility to teach our kids how to be agents of change when it comes to bullying. These conversations should start when kids are young.

bullying 101

How are you empowering your kids to end bullying and be agents of love in the world? We want to know and so does your ICM community! So, share your thoughts in the comments below.

The Epidemic of Bullying

According to the National Center of Education, as of 2016 more than 20 percent of students reported being bullied.

This statistic is staggering, especially considering the many ways bullying can affect students’ wellbeing. Targeted children often suffer from poor grades, sleep issues, anxiety, and depression.

In grades 6 through 12 alone, over a quarter of students have experienced bullying. Further, electronic bullying has become a huge problem in the past decade. Hand-held and other devices afford bullies constant, anonymous access to victims.

Also, we can’t forget to consider the students doing the bullying. They’re at a much higher risk for a whole host of issues that could extend into adulthood, ranging from violent behavior to substance abuse.

bullying 102

What Is Bullying?

Bullying is a pattern of harming and teasing others. Those who are in some way more vulnerable than the bully become victims. It is a deliberate and repeated attempt to cause harm to others of lesser power.

The Importance of Connection

Bullies themselves have strained relationships with parents and peers. They are made, not born, and it happens at an early age. Patterns of bullying emerge if even the normal aggression of 2-year-olds isn’t handled with consistency.

Overall, bullies tend to lack behaviors that nurture social connection. They are often untroubled by anxiety and struggle to understand others’ feelings. And bullies commonly misread the intentions of others.

bullying 103

Creating a Growth Environment

Less bullying takes place in environments that make connection possible. When students understand one another and feel safe to be authentic connection increases, which lowers rates of bullying. So, create a space where kids are safe to be themselves.

Challenge Day, an organization aimed at transforming through compassion, has served over 10,000 schools and impacted 1.5 millions students around the world. They spend a day with students doing activities that “provoke deep internal insights and empathy for others.” And they work to “create a genuine connection between people and promote the experience of belonging.”

Creating Connection within Your Students

Encourage Critical Thinking

Students are less likely to bully others when they can see ideas and problems from multiple perspectives. So, as you lead discussions with your students, invite them to think beyond assumptions. Likewise, make space for different opinions by asking open-ended questions and showing gratitude for each answer and idea.

Teach Empathy

From the earliest ages, children should take part in activities that boost social-emotional learning. Empathy is the practice of putting yourself in another person’s shoes, imagining their experience.

Assist children and youth in learning this skill by asking questions that encourage emotional reflection. As emotional awareness increases, one is more likely to be compassionate with others.

Lift Up Uniqueness

As a mentor, find ways to help children understand and appreciate their identity as well as others’. Kids are on a quest to establish who they are and what they’re about. Give them opportunities to express this in tangible ways.

For example, perhaps incorporate artistic expression into your year with them. Photography, art journaling, sculpture, painting, and poetry can be instrumental in helping children and youth find their unique voice and value the way God has made them.

bullying 103

Empower Kids for Change

  • Be sure your students know how to spot bullying. The first step to prevention is knowing what it is.
  • Discuss how to respond if they see bullying happening.
  • Compile a list with them of people they can report bullying to.
  • Get familiar with their school environments. Ask questions about their social setting.
  • Keep your eye out for exclusion and teasing in your children’s and youth ministries and call it out.
  • Connect on social media with your students as a friend and advocate.
  • Teach your students how to engage in healthy ways online.

Don’t forget to share in the comments how you’re empowering your kids to end bullying and be agents of love in the world!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Art & Faith, Faith Formation, Family Ministry, Children's Ministry, Activism, Youth Tagged With: Children's Ministry, Family Ministry, Youth, Youth Ministry, Bullying, Valentine's Day

About Alissa Ellett

Alissa has worked in ministry for fifteen years, serving in churches across California. She earned her Masters in Christian Education from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Currently based in Fresno, CA, when she’s not writing for Illustrated Ministry, she’s immortalizing moments and seasons in others' journeys through her photography business, Waypoint Photography.

Subscribe to our blog

Enter your email below to get our blog posts sent directly to your inbox.

Thanks! Please check your email to confirm your subscription, and you'll receive our next published blog post.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Powered by ConvertKit

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Phone
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 Illustrated Ministry, LLC. All rights reserved. Licensing Terms.