Children will soon be going back to school, and some schools have already opened their doors. Bullying is a problem that has found new avenues to explore. Bullies are at school, on the Internet and cell phones. Stop your child from being bullied by making it a habit of asking about his/her school day. Keep the lines of communication going with your child.
A child who never talks about school or what’s happening there rarely shares a bullying incident. Communication is important in stopping your child from being bullied.
A child who normally talks with a parent has no problem mentioning a bullying incident. The incident could have been a push or verbal. Show concern, but don’t argue. Comfort your child. Find out who, when and where. Who bullied? When did it happen? Where did the bullying take place? Take notes about the incident. Determine if your child can address the situation alone. Let him/her know you’re there, and will help anyway possible.
The next day gently approach your child.
“How did your day go, Billy?”
“Kevin pushed me when we were playing outside.”
“What did you do?”
“Walked away.”
“Good job,” Mrs. Berling said. “Tell an adult if it happens again, and play with your own friends.”
Make a note of the second incident.
Prepare your child with ways of handling a bully. Practice or give your child ideas of what he/she should say to a bully. Most times, bullies can’t be reasoned with.
Often, bullies keep pressuring, bullying. The next step is to make an appointment to speak with a child’s teacher, school counselor and/or principal. The school counselor may offer techniques to help your child deal with the situation.
Mention to his/her teacher, principal, the behavior changes due to bullying. Most likely, your child’s grades will hit the floor too. Discuss it with the teacher.
The battle to stop your child from being bullied is on-going. Have frequent talks with your child to make sure the bullying stopped. Contact teachers to, often, be informed of situations involving your child. Don’t wait for them to phone you.
Bullying isn’t a problem that goes away in a few days. Turn to the legal system if you’re not getting help or results from school officials.