Help your child deal with bullying.
What to do About Bullying
If you are a parent, there’s a good chance that one of your top concerns is whether or not your child is being bullied. Or worse yet, that your child is the bully!!
Bullying is a major problem in our schools and communities, and it’s something that parents should take seriously. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, about one-third of students report being bullied at school. Bullying can be very damaging for kids, leading to problems such as depression, anxiety, and even suicide. In this blog post, we’ll provide some tips for preventing bullying and helping kids who are being bullied. We’ll also discuss how to help children when it comes to bullying, keep reading!
There are a few things that you can do as a parent to help prevent bullying:
Talk to your kids about bullying and what it is.
This conversation doesn’t have to be intimidating, but more matter of fact. You want your child to feel positive going to school but to understand the meaning of bullying.
Bullying is when we name call or tease others for whatever reason. When you spread rumors or embarrass others in a mean way. Making fun of others, and hitting or taking their property are all forms of bullying. It can also spill over into cyberbullying. Sending derogatory messages and images via the internet.
How to Deal with Bullies?
- Teach your child social skills and to be respectful of others. How to join a group and take turns. Children who are treated with kindness will imitate this behavior and avoid being targeted for misunderstanding.
- Help your child find a supportive friend or group of friends. This can provide some protection from bullies.
- -Encourage your kids to stand up for themselves and others if they see bullying happening. This can be difficult, but it’s important for kids to know that they have the power to stop bullying. But just don’t know how or are afraid to get hurt themselves if they intervene.
Here are two examples of what you can teach your child:
1- If they see someone being bullied, they can just go and stand next to the child, maybe put a hand on their shoulder. Children will fear that they too will become the target of the bullies and asking anything more may not be feasible. For some kids speaking or confronting the bullies is not a choice and may seem too daunting.
2-Give your child permission to go get help. This is not tattling if someone is in trouble. It is being a good Samaritan. They can go to the teacher, guidance counselor, or any adult they trust on campus.
3- Ask the kid who is being bullied to come to play with them instead. Bullies tend to target the loner. Being in a group offers some protection from the bullies. – Help your child find a supportive friend or group of friends. This can provide some protection from bullies.
If you are the parent of a child who is being bullied, talk to your child’s teacher or school administrator about the bullying. They may be able to offer support or resources.
Ending on a positive note, it is important to remember that there are many ways to get help if your child is being bullied or you think they might be a bully. There are great resources available like the StopBullying website from the Department of Health and Human Services.
You can also look into parenting courses offered online which can give you more tools to deal with bullying behavior. It’s crucial that we all work together to put an end to bullying in our schools and communities. Do you know of any other tips or resources for parents dealing with bullying? Please share them in the comments below!
Dr. de Freitas
