Back when I was in grade school, I was bullied. It’s a very hurtful thing to go through, and it still makes me feel uncomfortable speaking about it to this day. In those days, there wasn’t very much awareness about it, and it was kind of just brushed under the rug. Grade 7 – 8 are hard enough, but worse when you have girls basically terrorizing you due to their own insecurities. It was so bad that my mom had to come to the school and speak to the teachers and principal. Fast forward to now, and unfortunately bullying still happens even at my age – the difference is that it’s been moved from the halls of school to the online world.

The entire purpose of Pink Shirt Day on Feb 24th is to bring awareness to it, to stand up to it, and to get involved. Being kind and compassionate can mean the world to someone feeling like an outcast. While I don’t have kids yet, I can’t imagine what it must feel like being the parent of a child who is bullied. What is the right advice to give? Children are so fragile, and bullying can seriously impact their mental and emotional growth – I’m all for doing what we can do to create a safe world for them to live in.

Counteract it with kindness – pass on a compliment to someone, encourage them, and donate to local anti-bullying programs! Even as adults, kindness and empathy can go a very long way.