Welcome to Open Mic Wednesday everyone. So glad you could join me. Today's guest blogger is my friend Teddy O'Malley.
Thank you so much Teddy for consenting to be my guest here on Storywraps. Teddy is going to talk to you about bullying, a very important topic that needs to be addressed with your kids. I appreciate your input friend and the mic is all yours...
Bullies can come in all shapes and sizes. From a young age we're told what a bully is. Maybe you have a mental image of the typical t.v or movie bully who steals a kid's lunch and knocks him over. Maybe your cousin who took your toys and made you cry when you were little comes to mind.
The dictionary defines a bully as a person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker.
In the book, Nicu: The Littlest Vampire by Elias Zapple, the bullies are the kids at school and Nicu's brother. They are the types of bullies almost all of us have dealt with at some point in our lives. They mock us or push us around. Nicu's parents are even bullies, something that kids who have been abused or bullied by their own parents will be able to empathize with.
Nicu, the protagonist, is an empathetic character. Most of us see ourselves in him. We don't want to be the older brother who pushes Nicu around. We don't want to be Nicu's mean parents. We don't want to be the kids at school who endlessly harass Nicu. We all want to be the good guy.
What if you thought you were the good guy, but you weren't.
In my own book, Cool Kids Wear Glasses, the bully is less obvious, at least to the protagonist, Mandy Harper. Mandy is an insecure 8-year-old who believes that she is in charge of the popular kids and that she has created and maintains the school's hierarchy. When she is called out by a “less popular” girl, Kayla, Mandy responds by treating Kayla as if she is the bully.
Kayla demands Mandy to stop bullying. She tells Mandy that what she has done could just as easily have happened to her. But Mandy doesn't see it that way.
But, but, but...
She's just trying to be helpful. Or perhaps, she's trying to justify her actions.
Have you ever felt like you may have left someone out? Have you ever wondered if you have treated somebody in a way that you wouldn't want to be treated? I think we all have at some point. If you've asked yourselves these questions then you may have wondered: Am I the bully?
Whenever you are about to do something that may exclude someone or hurt their feelings, stop and think. Would I want this done to me? Why am I doing this? If the answer is no and you can't come up with a good reason why you are doing it then you may be a bully or at the very least, an unkind person.
Remember, every new encounter is a chance to be kind.
Unwrapping Teddy's latest book...
According to Amazon...
Mandy Harper, one of the meanest girls ever, viciously ruled the school. She decided who was in and who was out. At least until Kayla Littlebe started standing up to her.
But one day Mandy found out she might need glasses. Would she still be able to rule the school or would her new glasses help her see the error of her ways?
Lessons taught in this adventure include:
Friendship
The importance of being kind to others
Standing up for others
Not judging a book by its cover
About Teddy...
Teddy O' Malley was born in in Saint Louis, Missouri. She has traveled all over the United States and enjoys learning about new things and other cultures. She has enjoyed studying Spanish, German, and now Italian as well. She dreams of visiting a foreign country. Teddy O'Malley has also worked as a nurse assistant, aiding the disabled and the elderly.
Teddy O'Malley
Author of
Read Teddy's ramblings at
Read on and read always!
It's a wrap.
Contact me at storywrapsblog@gmail.com
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