How to Help Your Child...
From PBS.org
If your child is being bullied...Parents, teachers, and other adults who pay attention and react to signs of trouble; who create time and space for talking; who are actively engaged in children’s lives; and who help children to be confident and compassionate go a long way toward putting a stop to bullying.
Steps to take if your child is being bullied :
1. Focus on your child, be supportive, and get the facts.
Show your child you care. Tell him how bad you would feel if you were in a similar situation or share your own experiences with bullying
Listen carefully and try to learn as much as possible about who was involved, exactly what happened and where. Find out if there were any children or adults who might have witnessed the bullying
Don’t say, “Just ignore it.” If a child could ignore it, he would have. If adults ignore bullying, it often becomes worse
Don’t say, “Just hit him back.” Hitting another student probably won’t end the problem and it could get your child suspended or expelled or make the situation worse
Check your emotions. Your instinct to protect your child will naturally make you feel upset and angry. Before acting, take the time to calmly think through how you are going to respond
2. Offer suggestions to make your child feel safer right away.
Make it clear that this is a short-term fix and that you will work toward solving the problem once and for all. Suggestions for your child:
Avoid the bully and buddy up with a friend on the bus, in the hallways, or wherever the bully is, and help a friend out in the same way
Firmly and clearly tell the bully to stop and then ignore her. Act uninterested or text someone on your cell phone; the bully may get bored and leave you alone
Talk about it. Parents, counselors, teachers, a sister or brother or a friend might have helpful suggestions and help you to feel less alone
3. Contact your child’s teacher or principal.
You may feel reluctant to report bullying, but it may not stop without the help of other adults
Check your emotions. Give school officials factual information about your child’s experience, including who, what, when, where, and how
4. Help your child cop.
Create a loving home environment where your child feels safe and can take shelter emotionally and physically. Make sure she knows that she can talk to you
Think about whether your child has difficulty learning or lacks social skills. A bully might be reacting out of annoyance, which doesn’t make bullying right, but may help explain why your child is being targeted. Consider talking to a counselor about getting help
Help your child expand her world. Suggest activities, sports, or classes that suit her interests and help to arrange them
Links to HELP:
From PBS.org
If your child is being bullied...Parents, teachers, and other adults who pay attention and react to signs of trouble; who create time and space for talking; who are actively engaged in children’s lives; and who help children to be confident and compassionate go a long way toward putting a stop to bullying.
Steps to take if your child is being bullied :
1. Focus on your child, be supportive, and get the facts.
Show your child you care. Tell him how bad you would feel if you were in a similar situation or share your own experiences with bullying
Listen carefully and try to learn as much as possible about who was involved, exactly what happened and where. Find out if there were any children or adults who might have witnessed the bullying
Don’t say, “Just ignore it.” If a child could ignore it, he would have. If adults ignore bullying, it often becomes worse
Don’t say, “Just hit him back.” Hitting another student probably won’t end the problem and it could get your child suspended or expelled or make the situation worse
Check your emotions. Your instinct to protect your child will naturally make you feel upset and angry. Before acting, take the time to calmly think through how you are going to respond
2. Offer suggestions to make your child feel safer right away.
Make it clear that this is a short-term fix and that you will work toward solving the problem once and for all. Suggestions for your child:
Avoid the bully and buddy up with a friend on the bus, in the hallways, or wherever the bully is, and help a friend out in the same way
Firmly and clearly tell the bully to stop and then ignore her. Act uninterested or text someone on your cell phone; the bully may get bored and leave you alone
Talk about it. Parents, counselors, teachers, a sister or brother or a friend might have helpful suggestions and help you to feel less alone
3. Contact your child’s teacher or principal.
You may feel reluctant to report bullying, but it may not stop without the help of other adults
Check your emotions. Give school officials factual information about your child’s experience, including who, what, when, where, and how
4. Help your child cop.
Create a loving home environment where your child feels safe and can take shelter emotionally and physically. Make sure she knows that she can talk to you
Think about whether your child has difficulty learning or lacks social skills. A bully might be reacting out of annoyance, which doesn’t make bullying right, but may help explain why your child is being targeted. Consider talking to a counselor about getting help
Help your child expand her world. Suggest activities, sports, or classes that suit her interests and help to arrange them
Links to HELP: