These children know what bullying is. They also know how to stop it.

I pray for a day when we no longer need a National Bullying Day of Action, when our children feel safe to go to school both physically and emotionally. Until then let’s be grateful that so many of us are willing to stand up for our kids, to share our experiences and to never give up on the dream that mutual respect and accepting differences will be a given during childhood.

Today is the sixth annual National Bullying Day of Action. It’s a call to action for schools to encourage students to ‘take a stand together’ against bullying and violence in schools, the classroom and beyond.

My son Giovanni recently turned 8, and I took the opportunity at his birthday party to talk to some of the kids about their experiences with bullying. All of them had a story. All of them had either been subjected to or witnessed incidents of bullying either at school, on the bus to and from school or in other friendship groups.

The results are heartbreaking, but also uplifting. These kids not only know what bullying is, they also have some very simple ideas about how to end it, once and for all.

Please share this with everyone you know. It’s time to make bullying history.

With special thanks to Giovanni, 8, Valentina, 7, Philip, 12, Frederick, 7, Logan, 14 and Giacinta, 11.

Get involved in National Bullying Day of Action here.

If you or someone you know is being bullied contact Kid’s Lifeline on 1800 55 1800.