What is International Day of Pink and How Can I Teach My Kids to Stand Up to Bullying?
By Julie Diamond, Founder & CEO Diamond Teachers Group
Each year on the second Wednesday in April, people around the world celebrate International Day of Pink, a day dedicated to kindness, acceptance, and standing up against bullying and discrimination. It began when students in Canada took a stand after a peer was bullied for wearing a pink shirt. Since then, wearing pink on this day has become a symbol of support for inclusivity and courage.
What is Bullying?
To help kids understand how to be upstanders rather than bystanders, it is important they know what bullying really means.
Bullying is repeated, intentional behaviour that hurts, intimidates, or exerts power over someone else.
It can happen in many ways including:
• Physical actions like hitting or pushing
• Words that hurt feelings through name calling or teasing
• Social exclusion or spreading rumours
• Cyberbullying through messages or online posts
Bullying is more than conflict or a one‑off argument. It is repeated and directed at someone who finds it hard to defend themselves.
Why Empathy and Kindness Matter
Kids who learn empathy have the ability to understand and care about how others feel are more likely to treat others with respect, stand up for those being mistreated, and feel confident in their relationships. When children feel seen, capable, and valued, they are better prepared to support their peers and themselves.
Practical Tips to Raise Empathetic, Kind, and Confident Kids
1. Model Kindness in Everyday Life
Children learn kindness by watching adults around them.
Let them see you:
• Show respect to people even when you disagree
• Listen actively without interrupting
• Help others in your community
Talking about feelings openly can help children learn emotional awareness.
2. Help Them Recognize Bullying
Be clear that bullying is not just kids being mean once. Share examples of bullying in verbal, social, and online situations so children can recognize it.
The Pink Shirt Day resources page offers definitions and helpful guidance on identifying different kinds of bullying.
3. Encourage Respectful Communication
Confidence and assertiveness are not the same as aggression.
Teach children respectful phrases they can use when dealing with conflict.
For example:
• “I do not like it when you say that. Please stop.”
• “I need space. Please leave me alone.”
Practicing these responses gives children tools to stand up for themselves in a positive way.
4. Celebrate Differences and Diversity
Books and stories can open kids’ minds to experiences different from their own. Reading about characters from diverse backgrounds helps children build empathy and understand how people might feel in a variety of situations. Learning about different lifestyles and cultures can help children appreciate diversity, view differences as opportunities to learn, avoid labeling people or situations as ‘normal,’ and even discover common ground with others.
Here are excellent book suggestions:
Books that Teach Kindness, Empathy, Diversity, and Inclusion
The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig:
A powerful story about a boy who feels unseen. It promotes kindness and inclusion, especially for kids who feel overlooked or different.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio:
Features a main character with a facial difference. It explores acceptance, empathy, kindness, and the social challenges of being different.
It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr:
Celebrates uniqueness and diversity in many forms (appearance, feelings, family situations, abilities). Easy to grasp for all ages.
You, Me and Empathy by Jayneen Sanders:
Explicitly teaches empathy and perspective‑taking, which supports understanding and valuing differences.
All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold:
Shows a diverse school community with students from many racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds. A strong inclusion message.
The Truth About Truman School by Dori Hillestad Butler:
Middle‑grade realistic fiction that includes cyberbullying and explores empathy and social dynamics.
Something Happened in Our Town by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, Ann Hazzard
Addresses racism, community, and empathy in child‑friendly language.
Same But Different Too by Karl Newson and Jessica Love
Explores how people can be different yet connected.
Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
A gentle story about self‑expression and acceptance.
All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier
Affirms Black children and celebrates their worth in the world.
You can find more curated books that focus on kindness and anti‑bullying at Reading and Thinking.
Reading together gives parents and kids an opportunity to talk about emotions, decisions characters make, and the role of empathy in relationships.
5. Practice Real Life Empathy
Encourage children to notice how others are feeling by asking questions such as:
• What do you think made them feel that way?
• How would you feel in their shoes?
• What could you do to help them feel better?
Role playing these situations with kids gives them safe practice in understanding emotions and building empathy.
Also, when your child gets into a conflict with a sibling or another person, instead of telling them to apologize, ask them questions to help them understand the other person’s point of view.
Ask questions like:
• How do you think they felt in that situation?
• What could you do to help them feel better?
These conversations help children build emotional understanding with a plan to understand another perspective and learn how to make future changes.
6. Build Confidence Through Small Wins
Confidence grows from success and autonomy. Give children choices, encourage them to try new things, and celebrate improvement. When kids trust their abilities, they are more likely to stand up for themselves and others.
7. Teach Safe Ways to Intervene
Standing up to bullying does not have to mean confrontation.
Help kids understand there are safe ways to intervene:
• Offer support to the person being targeted
• Tell a trusted adult when something feels unsafe
• Say “let’s include them too” when someone is being left out
Remind children that acting kindly and safely is courageous.
Ways to Celebrate International Day of Pink
Try some of these activities at home or school to bring the message of kindness and courage to life:
• Wear pink to show support for inclusivity and acceptance
• Have family discussions about what bullying is and why it matters
• Read empathy‑building books together (see list above)
• Create a kindness challenge where your child does a small kind act each day. Check out this website for a kindness calendar with an act of kindness for every day of the year.
• Watch this ‘Sea of Pink’ video to learn about how the International Day of Pink started.
International Day of Pink is not just about a colour. It is about kindness, empathy, courage, and inclusion. When we teach children to recognize hurtful behaviour, to speak up respectfully, and to celebrate differences, we help them become confident, compassionate individuals who make the world safer and more welcoming for others.
Bullying may be a part of many children’s experiences, but it does not have to define their relationships or their communities. By equipping kids with empathy, communication skills, and confidence, we help them not only resist bullying but transform the culture around them into one where kindness is expected and everyone feels valued.