Kiria Cora
Bullying has ceased to be seen as merely a school problem and has become a social crisis. Violence among children and adolescents affects their wellbeing, their relationships, their identity, and their mental health, at times leaving profound and lasting emotional consequences.
¿What is bullying?
No child is born aggressive or violent. Yet due to adverse family, social, or emotional circumstances, some children learn certain behaviors as a way of surviving their reality. These patterns don’t remain confined to the classroom: today they also extend into social media through cyberbullying, where a lack of boundaries and supervision exposes children to dynamics that normalize violence.
We must also address “ghosting,” a form of relational exclusion that often goes unnoticed but can be especially painful during stages of development when belonging and social relationships are fundamental.
Responsibility cannot rest on schools alone. While teachers and educational institutions must be on the front lines to identify and address these situations, parents must take an active role in monitoring and support.
¿What can we do to combat Bullying?
We need to learn to recognize warning signs: a fearful or withdrawn child, changes in eating habits, persistent sadness, unexplained anger, or a loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed. These signs don’t confirm bullying, but they indicate that something deserves our attention.
As parents, we must become a trusted refuge where our children can express what affects them emotionally without fear of judgment. We must teach them to resolve conflicts, set boundaries, and practice empathy.
Empathy and compassion help children who are facing bullying
Their mental health is part of their overall development, and as parents we play a fundamental role in protecting their moral, emotional, and social integrity. Bullying can have devastating consequences; we cannot wait until a situation becomes irreversible to act.
In a busy, distracted world, we must remember our true priorities: family needs attention, presence, and guidance. For those of us who live our faith, God also calls us to seek His guidance in protecting our families.
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Kiria Cora is Executive Director of “The Cora Foundation”
This article was featured in the September/October edition of Pittsburgh Latino Magazine. Click here to see view it and share it! Send us your thoughts at hola @pitlatinomag.com
