Life is one precious thing we have to guard consciously. Guiding and guarding our lives, we have to be intentional about our physical existence, mental health, and emotional health as well. A concerted effort in keeping a balance among these would create. Let's talk about bullying.

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In life, we must have passed through one form of bullying no matter how mild or severe that might be. Most times, it has not been a good experience for us because of the amount of negative pressure it brings to us. Some of these bullying come with seriousness that shows forms of intimidation while others come with jokes and caricatures. In all, it doesn't go down well with us.

I was a victim of verbal bullying which happened times without number. I kept wondering why I was always at the center of this but with time I understood better and this was because of my introverted nature. I could remember two different places I kept having this ill feeling and discomfort.

The first was within the neighborhood where I reside. It happened that my eyes were mostly reddish due to some environmental allergies. Though I went to several eye checkups the result only amounted to the use of eye drops to reduce itching while I expect to outgrow all that which is the case.

Therefore, my fellow playmates kept calling me names that insinuated that I either smoked or took drugs. This mockery name always kept me on my toes with so much discomfort and emotional trauma. I wouldn't talk back to them or fight them to stop the name-calling. But this stopped over time.

Another scenario was in school, one of my classmates who was good at arts and drawing gave me another nightmare in that environment. He was fond of drawing me on the board when on break and these drawings were usually funny drawings that came up with big heads, hands, legs, and bellies. This troubled me so much that I had to leave with it.

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It is good we experienced this to know how it feels to be in that state of mind and how to handle concerns of this nature. They are not of age to understand what that means especially the ones I passed through given their adolescent status.

However, each time any of them reports to us any form of physical bullying or abuse, we encourage them to report such immediately to their class teachers, and what we also do is follow up with the teachers for a look at and stop any further abuse.

This already sends a message to them that they need to report to their class authorities each time they are abused in any form without accepting such by being mute.

Nonviolence approach:
This is the acceptable way to avoid this and by neglecting who the bullying is coming from especially from the verbal form. I narrated my story about how I was called names because of my eye color. Being violent isn't the right approach but neglecting and appealing where necessary

Talking to the Right Authority
This is another veritable solution to advertising bullying. I also mentioned that I ask my sons to always reach out to their class teacher whenever they are bullied or when it is attempted immediately before coming to tell us as parents. This removes issues of retaliation and possible violent approaches.

Thank you, Friends...

I am inviting @chilaw, @ruthjoe.