How to Stop Bullying for Kids at Age Five
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, at least half of all children will be the victim of bullying at some time in their lives. Of those, 10 percent will find themselves frequent targets. Bullying sometimes begins at an early age and if it is not stopped, it only escalates over time and becomes more difficult to stop.
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Instructions
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Contact the parents of the children that are involved in a bullying situation. The parents of the bully need to be aware of their child's behavior and the parents of the recipient deserve to know what is going on. One or both sets of parents may request a meeting at the school to address the situation.
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2
Read books to the class that speak about bullying and the effects it has on those who are being bullied. Young children more easily learn by example. Books such as "Lucy and the Bully," "Arnie and the New Kid" and "Bullies Never Win" are some of the choices for 5-year-olds.
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Create a behavior reward system for 5-year-olds. This system should reward good behavior and put minimal focus on bad behavior. Young children are often easily motivated by rewards.
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Role play with the class to show them how to spot bullying and what they can do to stop it. Young children are often afraid to be labeled as a tattle tale. Emphasize the importance of telling an adult if someone is making them feel badly or they see someone bullying another child. Acting out situations helps young children know what to do when the situation arises.
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5
Assure the class that any time they report a bullying issue to you, their privacy will be protected. Make sure they know that you will never share with anyone who reported the bullying. If the children are afraid of retaliation from "tattling," they will be more reluctant to make a report. Knowing their identity is protected will give them more confidence. Let the children know that it is okay to tell their parents and allow their parents to let you know.
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Read the anti-bullying policy to the class. Five-year-old children may not understand everything in the policy. Allow the children to ask questions and answer them in a way that helps them understand the policy and the penalties if they should fail to follow it.
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Follow through with all reports you receive from a parent or another child. Young children can sometimes exaggerate, but it is best to investigate all reports to avoid missing a legitimate report. If the children see that you will act upon bullying situations, they will be more likely to let you know when something happens.
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References
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