Bullying Tips Included in Kid's Book 'The Cardboard Girl'

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2011/04/26 - Updated: 2022/04/15
Topic: Disability Publications - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: The Cardboard Girl by social worker Marika Spaseska shows children parents teachers and school administrators how to protect children from being bullied in schools and playgrounds. Bullying can be physical (such as shoving, hitting or physical threats) or verbal (such as with insults or hurtful gossip). It can also often include a child telling another that they don't want to play with them and urging others to join them in ignoring you.

Introduction

Children are being bullied, sometimes to death, with at least 14 suicides in 2010, according to ABC News.

Main Item

The Cardboard Girl, a new book by a social worker, Marika Spaseska, shows children, parents, teachers, and school administrators how to protect children from being bullied in schools and playgrounds.

"The truth is that schools, teachers, parents, children, and others struggle to deal with bullying. It is a multi-faceted problem with many contributing factors. For example, one key factor is that to date, we have anti-bullying policies in most schools, which by large, are not effectively endorsed," said Spaseska. "Should 'The Cardboard Girl' become available as a learning tool for classrooms, it has great potential to provide children and teachers with a better understanding of the issues and strategies to deal with bullying. There is proven evidence that suggests that children find reading books a great, enjoyable learning experience and benefit from discussions that ensue."

The book is text (not a picture book), approximately 15,000 words and is aimed at lower to upper primary school-aged children (7-12 years).

"The Cardboard Girl will touch the hearts of readers, as it shows how kids feel and act when bullied at school," she said. "The story will empower kids, as well as it may give parents, teachers, and others better insight into bullying and what can be done to stop or minimize it."

Bullying can be physical (such as shoving, hitting or physical threats) or verbal (such as with insults or hurtful gossip). It can also often include a child telling another that they don't want to play with them and urging others to join them in ignoring you.

If you're being bullied or know someone who is, she advises:

• Believe you deserve a safe environment at school.
• Believe that life gets better - there's a whole world waiting for you outside the school gates.
• Value who you are, you are important, you can do things others may not - you're special, unique.
• Join in social sports, activities, or exercise so that you can make friends outside of school. Exercise may make you feel better, too.
• Get additional information from websites, from the library, parents or other ways to learn more about how to better deal with bullying.
• Write down about what is happening to you, such as dates, times, who bullied you, who was there and what occurred (for example, in a diary).
• Speak to someone about what is going on for you. It is good for you to talk about what is happening to someone, be it family, friends, teacher, or a counselor.
• Accept people from other cultures, races, ethnic backgrounds or who may look different from you (they may have a disability, be overweight, wear glasses, be tall with skinny legs).
• Speak up, tell the kid who is bullying you to stop hurting you or others and that this is unfair. Tell them that what they are saying is nasty and hurtful, and that they have no right to speak to you like that. It's ok to stand up for yourself.
• Ask a teacher to also write down about what has happened to you. The teacher's notes, as well as your own, may be useful to help with what you may decide to do to deal with being bullied (for example, the teacher discussing it with parents, it may involve reporting violence to the police, the bully being expelled, leaving the school or other options).

She also offers these anti-bullying tips:

• Don't be silent. Silence suggests you're allowing the bullying to occur and unknowingly saying 'yes' to more of it.
• Don't allow being bullied to affect how you see yourself. You are a worthwhile person. It's their problem, they're being hurtful.
• Don't react like someone who is bullying you may do, such as hit back, swear at them (name-calling) or put them down. You are only showing unfair behavior like them.

Marika Spaseska

Marika Spaseska was born in Macedonia, former Yugoslavia, Marika Spaseska arrived in Perth, Western Australia, at two years of age. Having worked for over 17 years as a Social Worker, Marika is passionate about children's wellbeing and hopes to empower them. Inspired by a niece who experienced bullying at school, as well as her striking insight as a Social Worker, her first book has the potential to enable children to better deal with those that bully them.

Publishing Data:

Title: The Cardboard Girl: Gives Bullying the Flick
Publisher: Acashic Publishing Bookshop
Publishing date: April 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4475-1177-9

Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, check out his bio.