Bullies and victims need help

LAST week, the nation woke up to disturbing news of a “Datuk Seri” who was allegedly involved in the assault on three Rela men. The incident occurred as they were asking him to move his Toyota Vellfire because it was obstructing traffic.

What’s our society turning into? This is neither the first nor probably the last case involving persons with honorific titles abusing other citizens. It seems that some people think it is ok to engage in bullying just because they think they’re invincible.

According to Dr Vanlal Thanzami, a psychologist at the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, bullies typically exhibit repetitive aggressive behaviour with intention to cause harm. For them, it’s a display of power. It doesn’t matter if it’s done in front of an audience or in private.

As such, bullying is a serious societal concern that affects everyone’s lives, especially children. It affects those getting bullied, those committing the act, as well as those on the periphery. It is then further aggravated when bullies make use of their higher social status to exert power and hurt the victim.

Bullying among children used to only happen on school grounds. However, it seems that these days, especially with technology on the rise, cyberbullying has become a common problem.

EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN

So, what’s the right parenting style to adopt when it comes to educating young children to be more responsible?

Be fair but firm. To be fair is to not give in too much to your children’s wants. They need to learn the consequences of their actions. It also means that all situations that arise within the family are open for discussions, especially when it comes to