Standing Up for Someone: Speaking Up When Everybody Else Stays Quiet
When someone gets picked on, most kids freeze. This episode gives kids three simple, brave ways to speak up and stand with the kid being left out, the way Jesus would.
For Parents
Summer means more time at the pool, the park, and the cul-de-sac, and your kid will probably watch another kid get picked on at some point. This episode hands them three simple moves for that moment: four calm words, a friendly invitation to the kid being left out, and knowing when to grab a trusted adult. It frames speaking up as a way to love like Jesus, not a lecture. At home, ask your kid which of the three feels most like them, so they have a plan before they need it.
The One Thing for the Ride
“Sometimes loving like Jesus means speaking up when others stay silent.”
Scripture
Proverbs 31:8
CSB
Key Takeaways
- Most kids freeze when someone gets picked on because they are nervous, not because they do not care.
- Speaking up can be small. Four calm words like 'Hey, that's not cool' can flip the whole moment.
- Walking over to the left-out kid and inviting them along tells them they are not by themselves.
- Getting a trusted adult when it is too big is looking out for a friend, not tattling.
- Standing up for someone is one real way to love like Jesus.
Try This Week
- When the teasing starts, say four calm words: 'Hey, that's not cool.' You don't have to yell it or make a speech. Then help everyone move on to something fun.
- Go to the kid getting picked on. Pull your bike over or walk up and say, 'Hey, come ride with me. Let's go.' It tells them they are not alone.
- If it is bigger than you can handle, find a trusted adult, a parent or a lifeguard, and ask for help. That is not tattling. That is looking out for your friend.
Talk It Over
When was the last time you saw somebody sitting alone or getting picked on? What will you do if it happens again?
