How to Avoid Being Bullied in Middle School

Middle school is a time of transition. As you move into this new environment and stage in life, one of your greatest concerns might be how to protect yourself from becoming the target of a bully. While the road ahead is uncertain, you can enter this new phase of your life with confidence and the assurance that others are waiting to assist you if a bully lies in waiting.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Prepare for your middle school experience by sharpening your front line of defense--a positive sense of who you are as a person. Develop confidence in your personal strengths and a sense of pride in your accomplishments.

2. Be willing to assert yourself and talk to a bully about how that individual's behavior makes you feel. Assertiveness is a valuable asset when it comes to interacting with a bully. Role-play activities are a great way to improve your assertiveness skills if you find it challenging to respond to a bully.

3. Use humor, positive self-talk and other communication tactics that can help you defuse the advances of a bully and put you back into a position of power. Your main objective is to protect your self-esteem and keep your view of yourself positive. Always be willing to walk away or stay clear of an encounter with a bully.

4. Call in the forces at your middle school and beyond. Seek the assistance of your parents, school staff and peers if your strategies fail or the situation becomes threatening. Refuse to accept fault or any notion that says you deserve the mistreatment of a bully. The behavior of a bully is unacceptable under any circumstances, and you have a right to use available resources to end it.

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