ASK TEACHER OWERE: They just can’t stop gossiping
Children sometimes start rumours that someone is “mean” and that they should not be played with. In older children and teens, gossip may include comments about a person’s family, behaviour, or attitude.
Rumours may happen at school, at work, at church, or through sites like Facebook and Twitter.
The main purpose of starting rumours and gossip is to hurt someone else or to ruin his or her reputation.
Often rumours are not true, or are only partially true. They may be started out of jealousy, as well.
Rumours may have a strong impact on a person’s self-esteem, confidence, and mood, so it is important to ask for help if you are being subjected to cruel rumours and verbal bullying.
A gossiper shows just what they’re made of - and talking shit about other people isn’t something that’s particularly good to be known for. Eventually, a bad gossiper will lose friends. Who wants to be friends with someone who talks shit about everyone they know?
Remember that you have no control about what other people say about you. Which sucks, I know. What you do have control over is how you react to what people say about you. Reacting may only fuel the fire of the other person. Bullies always like to see how they have affected you. Remember that the gossip has much more to do with the group who is doing the gossiping than it does about you. If it wasn’t you, it’d be someone else - that’s how gossipers roll.
Now that’s not super comforting, but it means this: the gossip doesn’t actually have anything to do with you, who you are, or your values.
The group who is gossiping is probably just doing so because of their own insecurities. Some people like to attack other people who are threatening to them in some way or another.
Be yourself. Try not to let it get you down. Don’t change who you are because of what these people say about you. Gossipers will keep gossiping, but the amount of damage you allow it to do to you is up to you
However even then there is something you can do about it, speak up! Staying silent increases the gossipers power. No one deserves to be bullied. Challenge rumours and break the cycle.
