Bullying, being picked on by others, or feeling left out of activities or groups at school can be a really hard thing to deal with.
If you’re a young carer, bullying might be one of those things you’ve experienced more than other people your age. You might also be dealing with stress and anxiety caused by your caring role or things at home, so having to deal with bullying at school on top of everything can be incredibly hard.
What is Bullying?
You might have an idea of what bullying is but are unsure of when or if to speak up. Maybe you aren’t sure if something that happened is serious enough to be considered bullying. The truth is bullying can be anything from name calling, teasing, physical assault like pushing or hitting, name-calling, threats in person and online, and anything that makes you feel scared or isolated from your friends or normal activities.
Bullying is usually experienced at school, but it can also happen online on social media sites, or through texts and calls to someone’s phone.
Why me? Why do people bully?
When it comes to bullying or someone who is making you feel small or bad, it’s really important to remember that it is not your fault. Bullying is not a normal part of childhood and something that you should just get on with, it is always better to tell someone and speak out so that you can get help.
Often people bully others when someone seems different to them through appearance or a disability. If you’re a young carer this might mean you get picked on because people don’t understand the sort of things you do at home, or what it means to be a carer or look after someone. This might mean you don’t have the same sort of home life as other young people your age, meaning you might have a lot more responsibilities or things that other young people’s parents or families do for them, you might have to do for yourself.
What can I do about it? How can I get help?
The most important thing to remember is to not be scared or nervous about telling someone you’re being bullied. Telling someone you trust like a family member, a teacher or a doctor is a great first step to take to stop the bullying. You might also want to tell a friend you trust and talk about it with them, as they might not even know what is really happening.
There are also some great online resources on bullying, what it is and how to overcome it. Have a look at Bullying UK website, Young Minds page on bullying, and Kooth, for online counselling to talk to someone about what you’re going through.
