Back to School: Preventing Bullying at School

School starts this month. Many parents worry about bullying in school. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose. Early intervention and prevention are possible with proactive communication. Children may resist sharing their victimization, so it is important to help the child not be afraid to speak up. Resistance stems from fear that the bully will retaliate, embarrassment or shame about being bullied, or fear that the parent might recommend some action that would add to the torment. Some children’s desire for independence may drive them to remain silent and deal with the bullying on their own. Knowing these rationales for silence can help you understand and develop a plan to effectively help them.

 The steps below may help a child build confidence to speak and develop resilience:

1. Spend more time talking to the child.
2. Provide consistent ongoing guidance and structure.
3. Be aware of the child’s whereabouts and activities.
4. Give warm emotional support to the child.

Resource: Stopbullying.gov

9/4/2024