Bullying Prevention: How to Help Your Child

School is more than just a place of academic learning. It is also a place for making connections with others. Children enjoy playing with other children. Bullying is defined as aggressive behavior displayed when a person intentionally and repeatedly causes another person fear, injury, or distress. Bullying prevention starts with being committed to providing safe places for children to grow without fear.

What makes a bully?

Children who bully aren’t necessarily bad kids. Occasionally, they are simply okay kids who made a bad decision. It is important to know that a child bullies another child for many reasons.

• They seek attention because they lack attention at home.
• They are bullied by older siblings.
• They were once a victim of bullying.
• They are unable to accept the differences of others.
• They look down on others who are from a lower social class.
• They want to feel popular, powerful, and in control.
• They are jealous of their victim.
• They think that they are entitled to have everything they want.

What makes a victim?

A child doesn’t just decide that they want to be the victim of bullying. A child can fall prey to a bully just because they happen to be in the wrong place and at the wrong time. Bullying doesn’t just happen to weak children. Some victims are strong and popular.

The thing to remember is that the fault does not lie with the victim. It is a choice that the bully makes based on some other issue. Most of the targets of a bully have the following characteristics:

• Creativity and/or intelligence.
• Success.
• Social isolation with few friends.
• Popularity.
• Disabilities.
• A different physical appearance.
• Different religious beliefs.
• Cultural differences.
• Supposed sexual orientation that is different from their biology.
• Vulnerability.

Recognizing that your child is being bullied.

The signs of a child being bullied don’t always look like bruises and fear. Most of the time they are related to the anxiety that comes from being around the bully. You must know when your child is behaving out of the ordinary for them. Some signs are indicative that your child is the victim of bullying.

The characterizing signs of bullying often include complaints of not feeling well. Stomach aches and headaches are the main symptoms mentioned by children who do not want to go to school or any school activities.

Of course, anytime there are unexplained injuries such as scratches, bruises, and lacerations, the child might be being bullied. Other signs that could indicate bullying are children being hungry because they didn’t eat lunch, not using the bathroom at school, and sleeping problems. When the child is consistently losing personal items such as backpacks, bags, or jackets it could be because they are being taken away by a bully.

Some behavior issues such as isolating themselves, crying for an unknown reason, low self-esteem, and feeling like they are doomed are also signs of being a victim of bullying. When the bullying reaches a point of causing deep distress the child may also show behaviors that are self-destructive, including drug use and suicidal thoughts.

Four steps to bullying prevention.

Bullying prevention can be accomplished by taking a few steps to help reduce the chance of a child being a victim of bullying. The popular thought process is that “hurting children hurt children.” When children are thriving and secure they have no reason to bully other children (even though they might still do so). This is the key factor in bullying prevention.

1. Use responsive and supportive parenting that encourages the child to be unique but maintains boundaries at the same time.

2. Teach the child how emotions and feelings are part of life and there is a way to manage them properly.

3. Create a nurturing and positive home and family dynamic.

4. As a parent, cultivate a connection with the teachers and other parents at the child’s school.

Bullying prevention solutions.

Even though there have been steps taken for bullying prevention it can still happen. Some things can be done to find a solution to stop the bullying. There is no single step that will stop the bullying.

• Take time to manage your feelings as a parent.
• Let the child tell you the story and collect data if necessary.
• Contemplate a conversation with the other child’s parent.
• Have a conversation with the teacher/adult in charge.
• Maintain feelings when discussing the matter with others.
• Be willing to remove your child from the school.

Conclusion.

Children shouldn’t be expected to just handle being bullied. They need to know there is a safe place for them to go when they are in unsafe situations. Learning how to prevent, identify, and stop bullying is an important part of parenting. Making sure the child knows that they are not to blame for the bully’s behavior.

If you feel that you need help learning how to help your child with bullying reach out to a local Christian counselor. They will help you understand bullying prevention and how to help your child not be a victim.