

Whereas physical bullying in the form of bruises and bumps tend to be more visible and indicate that something might be amiss, it becomes especially hard to detect when the bullying is verbal or social in nature. Was it done intentionally? Was it repeated over time? Did the victim find it difficult to stop these hurtful actions? In the spectrum of hurtful behaviours, including bullying, parents and teachers have the power to calibrate their response and support for their children and nip the problem at the bud.Ī key step is to identify signs that their children were upset and affected by others’ words and actions.

Like the dropping of an apple, it can be hard to decipher the intent of the action. However, it can be difficult to ascertain if these hurtful actions were indeed bullying. “This is why it is always important for students to learn at a young age that their words and actions have severe repercussions on the lives of those they choose to bully.” “The reality of bullying is that victims tend to seem normal on the outside even though they might be experiencing great trauma on the inside,” said Dr Wong, educational psychologist and school counsellor. Since there are no noticeable differences at first glance, they reply by saying that both apples look exactly the same as before.īut when the teacher takes a knife and cuts into both the apples, the one that has been dropped several times reveals a badly bruised flesh while the other remains perfectly intact.

She repeatedly drops one from a height while firmly holding onto the other.Īfter a while, she asks the students if either of the apples have changed from their original state. Whenever Dr Wong Hwei Ming is tasked with handling a bullying case, the first thing she normally does is to sit down with the bully and recount the “Two Apples Story”.Ī teacher stands in front of a classroom holding two identical apples, one in each palm. As parents, taking the right steps can ensure that your child feels safe as they overcome this difficult phase. Being a victim of bullying can often be a painful and emotional journey.
