Helping Your Child Deal With a Bully
With bodily changes and pressure from both school and from one's peers, growing up is tough. But it's even tougher if a child is bullied. Nowadays, there is a lot of press about the terrible effects of being bullied and how some kids have attributed this to why they have become angry, violent or perpetrators of school shootings. As a parent, it's important to help your child if you think he is being bullied. Here are a few things that you can do:
Give him or her unconditional love. Stand behind your children 100 percent and let them know that they are safe in their family and should expect to be safe in school and in the world.
Find out the circumstances of the bullying and what exactly transpired. That way you may be able to pinpoint how your child could have avoided being bullied. For example, walking away or avoiding the bully could help … especially if your child is with a friend or in a public place. Empower your child to use his smarts and common sense to avoid being bullied and not putting himself in situations where he might get bullied. Do not tell your child that it is his fault he is being bullied.
Talk to your child about being with friends and knowing which friends he can count on. Encourage your child to cultivate these positive relationships and not to hang out with kids who make him feel badly about himself.
If the bullying is taking place at school, find a teacher or other trusted adult in the school to talk to about the situation. This can be helpful, especially if there is a particular child that is bullying your child. Although your child may not want you to get involved, if your child's safety is at risk, then you must bring it to the attention of the authorities at school if the bullying is taking place on school property.
Find like-minded parents to talk to the school if other children are being bullied, too. There are many speakers who go to schools to talk to parents and children about preventing bullying and how to handle bullying behavior.
Provided byElizabeth M. Alderman, M.D.
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