At APFS, we have been receiving grants from the Tokyo Voluntary Action Center and holding “Leadership Training for Foreign-born Volunteers” since June, 2009.
On this year’s March 21st, we had our final training with the topic “How to deal with our child’s ijime (bullying)”. It took place in Itabashi Ward’s Green Hall and more than twenty people gathered.
Many of our foreign-born volunteers have children, so they were interested in this topic before handedly. This time, we welcomed Ms. Sachiko TAKEDA from the non-profit organization “Gentle Heart Project” where they deal with ijime problems.
Ms. Takeda introduced various cases of ijime in elementary and junior high schools. Recently, there have been cases in which the parents of bullied children went to trial against the school or the board of education. However, a trial needs time and money, and we cannot even be sure that we can win. With this premise, Ms. Takeda taught us detailed measures to be taken by parents to be able to face our child’s ijime and to solve it. Ms. Takeda indicated “listening to our children on an everyday basis and noticing changes”, as well as “becoming parents trusted by our children” and “not to raise our children to become bullies” are useful points for early discovery of ijime. Moreover, she emphasized that “To be able to treat people nicely, first we have to be happy ourselves. Adults have to become happy before their children can. We should start helping each other from close things.”
Ms. Takeda points out that ijime is on the rise in elementary and junior high schools. Especially, since there are only a few foreigners in schools they easily become ijime targets, because of their different appearance or language. Ijime in elementary and junior high schools may vary from minor deeds to offenses resulting in serious disabilities in future life. At APFS, we also intend to face these problems, so that children could live a happy life in Japan.
