There  is a huge difference between having fun with someone and poking fun at a person. There is an even bigger difference between having fun and making fun of other people.  I have seen this played out in my observance of children playing. It is a difficult situation to be in charge of monitoring children at play.

Once you have witnessed these behaviors, in which some children lord a type of authority over other children, the next thing that must be done is to come up with a strategy.  There needs to be a plan to correct the behavior without embarrassing the ones who are being treated unfairly and at the same time, redirect the ones who are the aggressors in a firm yet non-confrontational manner.  This is extremely challenging. But it must be done in order to create a generation that values each of us.

Our culture has become mean-spirited.  Children’s behavior is learned from the adults around them.  We are all responsible for making the world a kinder place. It is in everyone’s best interest to find ways of curbing this behavior.

Therein lies the problem. A significant number of people also have a habit of saying ”It’s not my problem.”  It is highly unlikely that with such an attitude being prevalent, that things will appreciably change for the better.  It just perpetuates the problem. We need a “game plan.” And then, we need to come up with a different phrase, one that will counteract this attitude.  

It seems to me, that at first, we will have to interject opportunities for people to be friendly, so that they can see what can come of it.  There was a video I saw recently about a little girl who decided that she wanted there to be a “Buddy Bench” at her school, where new or shy kids could sit.  Whenever someone sat on it, that was a signal for other children to step up and ask them to play. Inviting someone to join a community, whether at school, or in your neighborhood or workplace is a simple positive way for adults to model this kind of behavior.

I certainly don’t have all the answers to this problem.  But we need to start the conversation. I think I will begin to talk to my teacher friends and brainstorm about little ways we could set things in motion by inserting opportunities into the school day.  And parents and other adults could do the same thing, and be ready whenever the occasion presents itself.

Change for good or bad, begins with intention and a mindset.  A simple change of mind can turn into a change of heart. That could be the catalyst for a positive revolution.  Wouldn’t that be a wonderful legacy to leave behind?