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Illness & disability
When kids tease
Teasing can be okay if it makes the person being teased laugh too. Playful teasing can help you have a sense of humor and make it easier to get along with others. But mean and hurtful teasing aimed at making someone feel badly can cause sadness and anger. Harmful teasing, or bullying, can cause you to have low or poor self-esteem. (What is self-esteem?)
You may find that kids are teasing you in a harmful way because of your illness or disability. The main thing to remember is that it's not your fault that you're being teased. Nobody deserves to be bullied. The problem is not with you. It's with the people who are teasing you.
Why do kids tease?
- It makes them feel better about themselves to put others down
- To make people pay attention to them
- Because they see others doing it
- They think it is cool
- They make fun of things they don’t understand, such as a learning disability
What can I do about harmful teasing?
- When someone teases you, remind yourself that it doesn’t matter what this person is saying.
- If it feels safe, try to stand up to the person who is teasing you. Just tell the person that you don't like what they are doing and that they should stop! Keep it simple. You might just say, "Cut it out, Kim!" and then go away. Try to talk to them in a calm voice. Kids who bully often like to see that they can make you upset. So try not to show that you are bothered by what they say or do.
- If the teasing doesn't stop, tell an adult that you can trust, like your parents, teacher, or school counselor. If you've told a grown-up before and they haven't done anything about it, tell someone else. Don't think that you're a "tattle tale" if you tell an adult that you're being bullied. Telling is NOT tattling! It's the right thing to do.
= This article, publication, website, or organization is from the U.S. government.
Content last updated October 21, 2009
