How Parents Can Help Stop Bullying
Bullying is a serious problem that can cause damage to children both physically and emotionally. While it used to be seen as a rite of passage for children, bullying it is now seen as something that children and parents can solve. It's troubling for parents when their children become the target of bullies, or if their child is in fact bullying other children. But steps exist that parents can take to help their children in both cases.
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Instructions
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If Your Child Is Being Bullied
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Take the bullying seriously. Listen carefully and calmly to your child's situation. Empathize with your child, letting her know that bullying is not her fault, while also giving her confidence that she can solve the problem. Know that ignoring bullying will not solve your child's problem. Let your child know that bullying is something that can be stopped.
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Let teachers and other school personnel know about the bullying. Working together with school officials is the best way to ensure that all children gain the coping skills needed to eliminate bullying and to handle bullying when it does occur. Experts with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also recommend that parents not contact the parents of the child who bullied your child. They recommend that parents work with school officials and their own children and let the officials contact the parents of the child who did the bullying.
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Build your child's self-esteem and resiliency. Create a positive home environment where he feels safe and sees examples of strength and confidence in action. Encourage him to make positive friendships within school and to find fun and rewarding extracurricular activities. Teach your child strategies to cope with bullying through role playing. Practice things to say to bullies and ways of getting help from nearby adults. Experts on bullying recommend that parents not encourage physical retaliation to bullying. Fighting can cause problems for your own child and could result in even more harm.
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Seek help and support from others. Building a strong and caring community is everyone's job and neither parents nor children need to feel isolated in taking on that task.
If Your Child Is Bullying Others
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Create a positive home environment. Make sure that you are modeling caring and warmth but also setting clear boundaries and expectations for behavior. Stay involved in your child's life.
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Promote positive values through your words and actions. Encourage your child to treat others as she would want to be treated and help her learn to empathize with others.
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Encourage your child to become engaged in extracurricular activities that will provide reinforcement to the values you encourage and will give your child a positive and energetic alternative to bullying others.
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Seek help and support from school officials and professionals.
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Tips & Warnings
Stress to your child that telling adults about bullying is not the same as tattling.
Help your child develop effective social skills to establish strong friendships that can counter the negative impact of bullying.
References
- Photo Credit playing children image by Marzanna Syncerz from Fotolia.com
