Is It Rude, Mean or Bullying? 3 Key Terms You Need to Know! by Ann Marie G. Halstead

When it comes to bullying, it’s important to discuss three key terms. Signe Whitson, L.S.W., defines the terms this way: 

RUDE behavior is “inadvertently saying or doing something that hurts someone else.” 

MEAN behavior is “purposefully saying or doing something to hurt someone once (or maybe twice).” 

BULLYING behavior is “intentionally aggressive behavior, repeated over time, that involves an imbalance of power.” 

Understanding the difference will allow us to help our kids if they believe they’ve been bullied. Get more information!