17/08/2026
Today is Bullying No Way Day, and I think it’s really important that we talk about more than just bullying.
The Kids Helpline (Australia) visual we’ve shared below is a really useful way of looking at the different behaviours children can experience — from conflict and meanness through to bullying.
Because conflict and meanness can still be incredibly hurtful and debilitating, even when they don’t meet the definition of bullying.
It’s also important that we help our children recognise when they are part of the problem.
Sometimes our children are the ones who have been hurt. Sometimes they are the ones who have been unkind. Sometimes they’ve been rude, reacted poorly or contributed to a conflict.
Our job isn’t to simply label the behaviour. It’s to help them understand it.
Having regular, ongoing conversations with our children about what happened, how they felt, what their part was and what they could do differently next time helps them learn to problem-solve, take responsibility and repair relationships.
And these conversations don’t just teach behaviour.
They help our children make sense of their world.
They also strengthen the relationship we have with them — because they learn that even when things go wrong, we can sit with them, work it out and figure out what happens next.
Bullying No Way Day is a good reminder that our children need us to look beyond the label and help them understand the behaviour underneath it.