While remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic lowered reported instances of bullying, parents fear that, for some students, going back to school will mean the return of bullying.
A Department of Mental Health survey found that with 600,000 cases of school children being bullied in school, Thailand has the second highest rate in the world. As parents search for ways to protect their children, a growing group of families are turning to an unlikely source for practical guidance: the Bible.
“Many years ago, when our 6-year-old daughter came home, we saw some scratches on her knees. After talking to her we discovered it was not just an accident, but our daughter was being bullied” said Sirichai and Natedow. A teenage girl named Kwan was also bullied at school. She explains “My school friends didn’t talk to me, and they threw my belongings on the floor.” We can see that bullying occurs with many children in Thailand and for them, this is a big problem. As a result, victims report feeling hopeless, isolated, and even suicidal.
Sirichai and Kwan’s families are Jehovah’s Witnesses. They found a good source that help children manage this problem. Sirichai explains “When our daughter did not want to go to school because of being afraid of being bullied, we talked to her, read the Bible with her and this helped our daughter to endure.” Kwan also benefits from the www.jw.org website. In this website she found videos, articles, and worksheets that teach her how to deal with problems at school. She said “The short animated video Beat a Bully Without Using Your Fists has helped me so much. Many who have been bullied feel that they have done something wrong. But this video helps us to know that it is not our fault and we don’t need to be afraid to tell our teachers or parents. After I told both my teachers and parents about being bullied, the situation improved.”
At jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, there are free resources available to help parents know how to protect their children from being bullied. Please see the following articles using the links below.
· Beat a Bully Without Using Your Fists
· My Teen Life—How Can I Cope WIth Bullying?
· What if My Child Is Being Bullied?
· How to Silence a Cyberbully
“Many young ones encounter an array of problems. But the Bible has proven to be a practical source of advice for many families to help navigate difficult situations in life. On our official website, there are free resources that can help families. Parents do not need to be tech experts to protect their children from a cyberbully.” said Mr. Sataya Phongsri, spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses.
To know more about us, please contact the Public Information Department of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (02-821-6620, 086-610-1914)