Bully

Thanks to The Bully Project for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website to join the movement and learn more.

As a mom, I worry a lot about my children. It seems the worrying doesn't go away, ever. I remember when I was a new mom I thought sleepness nights and constant diaper changes were going to be the hardest part of motherhood. As my children grow, I realize that each stage brings new challenges.

My oldest son is in grade one, and he loves school. He has great friends, wonderful teachers, and happily looks forward to school every day. I literally have to drag him home after school, after he's played with friends on the school yard for almost an hour every day. It is wonderful to see his innocence and happiness, and I hope it will always be this good for him, and for my youngest son. I'm sure they'll have rough patches like all children do throughout their childhood and teenage years, but I pray that they never experience being bullied.

When I was in middle school, I was bullied. I was beat up pretty bad, and thrown up against a locker. When I finally made it home, I burst into tears as soon as I saw my mom. The next day, we were in the principal's office along with a police officer and the person who had attacked me. Looking back, I appreciate that the situation was taken seriously, and I am thankful my parents were there for me to make sure something like that never happened again. As a mom, I cannot imagine something like that happening to either one of my children.

Today, the bullying situation has escalated and millions of kids are bullied every day. The results are often devastating. I am hoping things change, quickly. We need to help teach our children that it's never okay to be mean to another child. On any level. And if our children are bullied, we need to be there for them. And we need to be loud.

I recently watched the trailer for the new movie Bully, and it brought me to tears. Knowing there are kids who take their lives because they've been that badly hurt by someone bullying them makes me livid, and every time I hear of a child suffering because they're being treated badly, it makes me want to scream.

Bully follows five kids over the course of a school year, and shows some very tragic outcomes, including the stories of two families who have lost children to suicide, and another mother waiting to find out the fate of her 14 year old daughter who is jailed after bringing a gun on a school bus. Throughout the film you'll also see how children behave in the classroom, in the cafeteria, and on the school bus. It's a hard film to watch, but it's worth watching.

 Here is the official trailer:



Bully is now in select theatres. I'll be watching. And I can only hope this film sheds even more light on this major issue.

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. Find showings in your area for The Bully Project and buy tickets here.