Bullying is a common worry that parents have when they send their children to school. Kids can be cruel to one another, and no parent wants their child to be on the receiving end of unfair treatment. While it’s difficult to be sure whether a child is dealing with bullying, there are a few things you can do as a parent to gather more information about your child’s experience.
Bullying or Normal Kid Behavior?
Kids teasing one another is often a very normal part of growing up, so distinguishing bullying behavior from childish joking is essential. If you observe your child and his/her friends shoving and calling each other names, keep an eye on the way the children react. There’s a fine line, though, between playing and bullying.
Signs of Bullying
Sometimes, it’s hard to be sure whether your child is being bullied at school, because they won’t always tell you what they’re going through. If you observe the following signs cropping up, they may be indicative of bullying.
- Anxious, withdrawn behavior
- Having few (if any) friends
- Drastic changes in appetite
- Reluctant to go to school
- Loss of interest in hobbies
- A decline in school performance
- Unexplained bruising, scrapes, missing/destroyed property
How Can Parents Help?
There are a few steps you can take to help your child if he or she is being bullied. First, it’s important to gather information about what’s going on. Ask questions but don’t create a confrontation. Talk to them about how they’re feeling, ask if they notice bullying in general at school, and leave the floor open to their answers.
If you know that your child is being bullied, go over some “what if” scenarios with them so that they can work out plans to stop to the situation. Avoid blanket advice like, “just ignore them and they’ll stop.” This does not work and it invalidates your child’s experience.
By determining the seriousness of the situation, you can make plans for when and how to get involved. If your child is unable to overcome the challenge they’re facing alone, by all means reach out to teachers and other school officials.
Keep checking in, because there are times when your concerns may be brushed aside, leaving the situation the same as it was. Negative interactions are somewhat normal between kids, but letting your child know that they can come to you for support keeps a communication line open if things get out of hand.
