Childhood bullying across all ages has increased tenfold over the past 20 years, sadly making it a regular occurrence in the playground. From name-calling and teasing to physical acts of violence, there are various types of psychological and physical forms of bullying that happen in schools all over the country. School is supposed to be one of the most exciting and fun periods of a child’s life, where they meet their friends and discover what they want to be when they grow up. Instead, many children are subjected to a torrent of abuse throughout their entire school lives, with a small proportion even turning to suicide.
Parents are also the victims when their child is being bullied, as apart from informing the school about the situation, there is very little they can do or say to the bully or bullies themselves. This doesn’t mean that a parent’s role of protector stops however, and there are a number ways you can give your child piece of mind while the school clamps down on the bullying.
Assure Your Child
First things first – make sure your child knows that they have all the support they need. Without your faith and help, your child will be all alone in dealing with the bullying, and they need to know that you’re available any time of day to talk things over. They also need to know that you’re there to take action, and no matter how much they scream and shout, this may mean contacting the bully’s parents, as well as the school.
Give Advice on How to Deal With the Bully
Depending on the type of bullying, there are a number of ways you can advise your child on how to deal with the situation. For example, if the bullying is just teasing, then it’s best to first let your child deal with the situation. We all know how cruel kids can be, and sometimes it just takes a common interest for children to make friends. Sometimes the best thing to take a step back and view the situation from a distance.
However if the bullying begins to get out of hand, whether it’s on school trips around the UK or in the classroom, then you will have to inform your child’s teachers, assuming they haven’t already contacted you. Physical violence against your child should never be tolerated, and you must do everything to ensure that your child’s classroom is a safe and secure place for them to learn.
It’s best to provide your child with reasoning to why the bullying situation might be happening. Many bullies lash out because they have bad home lives, or they themselves are being bullied. Either way, sitting your child down and explaining why bullies like to project their insecurities on other people is a great way to start the healing process.
If you child’s school does its job correctly, then the bully will be pulled aside, warned, removed from class, or even suspended from school. Unless your child has to physically protect themselves from a bully, then you should never advocate retaliation – your child must learn that bullying is unacceptable under any circumstances.
Written on behalf of Knowsley Safari Park, they aim to deliver useful information and advice relating to a range of areas such as assisting parents and families.
Continued guidance is needed for children to stand up to bullies. It is also important that we try to be alert in any indications that a child is being bullied.
Guidance and counseling is what they need. And yes, looking closely to our kids and their activities will give us a hint if some bullying is happening already.
These are great tips!!!
among my two kids, it was yahmir – my youngest who had experienced being bullied in school, they keep on calling him nerd especially when they are on their computer class for he always surpasses the typing speed of his classmates, envy is the reason why he is being bullied, upon knowing i asked the school for an appointment with the parent and kid who keeps on bugging yahmir.
I just hope all is well now. I mean, i wish the bullying already ended with that meeting.
I hope your child stops being bullied.
Constant communication and bonding with parents is always a good key to detect the child’s relationship with his/her classmates and friends. NO TO BULLYING!
I often ask my nephew if he gets bullied in school. I also tell him to be nice to his classmates and never be a bully.
Bullying annoys me. I have little patience with bullies. I just hope I never have to deal with it but should I encounter them, these tips would be useful.
Bullies needs no patience. I mean, once they get started, they must be stop no matter what. Because if not, they will just continue doing it over and over again.
I sympathize for those kids who are victims of bullying and it really alarmed me when I learned about children committing suicide cause of the ill effect of the action. I always remind my kids to tell me if somebody is making moves on them. I also discourage them to acquaint with bad influential peers.
correction again: …committing suicide as the ill effect of the action 🙂
Unfortunately, there are bad influences everywhere. We just have to guide them more.
Bullying happens anywhere in the world. Most people have probably experienced being bullied in school.
I can hear you. I was once a victim. But I learned how to fight back or handle them.
Suspension, that’s what school’s should do. My sons school has this attitude of “handling bullies with care” even with repeated bullying of other kids! kainis lang.
Sometimes, teachers or schools can’t do anything about it. As long as the student/parent pays for their school fees, they wont be kicked out.
Bullying sucks. Now it can take lives. Look at the case of Amanda. Takes for giving us tips on how to make or enable kids to better handle the bullies around them.
Agree with this. A simple “how is school” question will give you a hint if a bullying is already taking place and your kid is becoming a victim.