The Signs of Toddlers Being Bullied in Daycare
Whenever you hear the term "bully," you may think immediately of older children; however, bullying behavior can rear its ugly head even as early as daycare. A bully is a child that deliberately makes another child feel bad for an emotional payoff, sometimes mimicking behavior he has seen in his own family dynamic. According to the University of Michigan, this aggressive behavior can be seen as early as two years of age. Recognizing the signs of bullying early help you as the parent to offset the emotional damage by taking immediate action.
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Verbal Clues
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A toddler may try to communicate with you if she finds herself bullied in daycare. She may refer to one of the other kids as a mean child, or one who does mean things. She may confide in you that another child is pestering her or bothering her in some way, or that she no longer likes a particular child. This separates the issue from one of the kids having a simple dispute to a pattern of aggressive behavior with the sole intent of making her feel bad.
Emotional Clues
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For younger toddlers who cannot verbalize the problem, watch for changes in your child's mood. Young bullied children may become clingy and whiny when they weren't before. A bullied child may also withdraw from you and lose enthusiasm for those things he previously enjoyed, such as his daycare environment. In fact, he may not want to go back to daycare at all. If whenever you ask your child about school, he clams up or averts his eyes from yours, this indicates there is a problem you should address.
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Physical Clues
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Young children who are bullied may manifest the stress in physical ways, and complain of headaches or tummy aches that occur for no reason, conveniently prior to being dropped off at daycare. Bullying at the preschool level isn't limited to intimidation, and in fact can result in actual injury from physical contact. While small children may not escape the occasional boo-boo, a pattern of injuries they cannot explain may indicate a bullying problem.
Trust Your Gut
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If your toddler's behavior changes significantly while in a daycare environment, it warrants further investigation. If you suspect there is a problem, trust your instincts. Don't chalk it up to kids being kids, or that the facility itself will ensure the safety of your child. Even preschool bullies understand from a very early age that their behavior is wrong and will attack their victims when teachers and childcare workers are unaware. Stay in constant communication with the facility so that you can stop the problem in its tracks.
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References
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