Bullying is on the forefront of media recently and with just cause. Bullying is some schools is rampant.
While some people still believe that bullying is just a part of growing up, more and more people have a better understanding the problem bullying is in school. Bullying is a complicated issues that requires various approaches in order to eradicate it. First, we need to understand exactly what bullying is and then apply strategies to solve the problem.
What parents can do about bullying. There are some facts that are sometimes overlooked when dealing with bullying. Bullying causes serious harm in our children's schools today. Bullying can affect a child's physical, mental and social health. Children who are bullied suffer more physical ailments (headaches, stomachaches and so on), are at a greater risk of suffering depression, are more likely to show minimal interest in school, tend to miss more school, are more likely to use alcohol and drugs and unfortunately, are at a greater risk of suicide.
Understanding bullying. Many people think that children grow out of bullying but in fact, new aggressive patterns tend to emerge later in adolescence and adulthood. Some parents even tell their children to fight back - not an appropriate response to bullying. This can escalate the problem into very unsafe areas for your child. Children should be taught to be assertive, not aggressive when dealing with bullying. There so many simple things parents can do to help their children who are being bullied and therefore, help to eradicate the problem.
Strategies to prevent and deal with bullying. It is imperative that bullying issues are identified as early as possible. Early intervention of bullying can help prevent aggressive interaction patterns from forming that will be long-lasting. Support needs to be given to all of the children - the bully, the one being bullied as well as any child who witnesses the bullying. This is essential for the children affected by bullying to have future relationships that are productive and healthy. Encourage children to report any act of bullying. For this to work, parents need to see bullying as a problem and listen to their children when they hear of bullying taking place.
It is up to the adult to make the bullying stop. This is not a child's problem to deal with. Adults who are told of bullying have a responsibility to report it. Encourage your child to be assertive when dealing with a bully, but not aggressive. They must also be told that when bullying occurs they must tell an adult whom they trust what has happened. As parents, we need to demonstrate healthy relationships in the family so that children can experience respectful relationships with their peers. Encourage children to be heroes and not complacent bystanders. If they see bullying in the playground or in class, they need to know that they have a social responsibility to do something to help the child being bullied. Coach your child how to step in and stand up against bullying in an assertive manner. If you don't think your child would be able to stand up assertively then encourage him or her to report the bullying immediately to a trusted adult.