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Putting A Stop To Bullying
 

 
Daily Bread
Rejoice in the LORD always.
Philippians 4:4
Unfortunately bullying can be part of your child’s school year experience.

Parents play a key role in preventing and dealing with bullies – whether your child is the victim or the bully. Schools nationwide have zero-tolerance policies about bullying. So working together, parents, teachers and administrators can chart a plan to protect children.

Bullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Usually children being bullied are either weaker or smaller, shy and generally feel helpless. Bullying can be physical, verbal or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the school bus, in the neighborhood or over the Internet.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends these strategies to deal with bullying:

When your child is bullied
Help your child learn how to respond by teaching your child how to:
  • Look the bully in the eye.
  • Stand tall and stay calm in a difficult situation.
  • Walk away.

Teach your child how to say in a firm voice:
  • "I don't like what you are doing."
  • "Please do NOT talk to me like that."
  • "Why would you say that?"

Teach your child when and how to ask for help:
  • Encourage your child to make friends with other children.
  • Support activities that interest your child.
  • Alert school officials to the problems and work with them on solutions.

Make sure an adult who knows about the bullying can watch out for your child's safety and well-being when you cannot be there.

When your child is the bully
  • Be sure your child knows that bullying is never OK.
  • Set firm and consistent limits on your child's aggressive behavior.
  • Be a positive role model. Show children they can get what they want without teasing, threatening or hurting someone.
  • Use effective, non-physical discipline, such as loss of privileges.
  • Develop practical solutions with the school principal, teachers, counselors and parents of the children your child has bullied.

When your child is a bystander
  • Tell your child not to cheer on, or even quietly watch, bullying.
  • Encourage your child to tell a trusted adult about the bullying.
  • Help your child support other children who may be bullied. Encourage your child to include these children in activities.
  • Encourage your child to join with others in telling bullies to stop.

Published: April 13, 2006
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics


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