for parents and guardians
Bullying can have a serious impact on your child’s self esteem and mental health. If your child is being bullied, you are probably noticing a shift in their mood, more self-deprecating comments, reluctancy to socialize, and more. Taking action toward stopping or even preventing bullying may take a village, but it also takes thought, support, and planning on your part as the parent.
Here are some ways that you can promote a safe environment amongst peers and potentially stop or prevent bullying:
Have the crucial conversations with your child.
Talk about what bullying behavior is
Educate yourselves and those around you on what constitutes bullying behavior
Bullying is repeated, targeted, victimizing, making the person feel powerless
Talk about the different forms of bullying (cyber, in-school)
Make sure your child feels confident to report bullying – whether it is happening to themselves, a friend, or a classmate
It’s not up to the child to stop the bully
Kids should feel confident taking action by reporting or confiding in an adult about a bully
The child should not feel like they need to take matters into their own hands
Tell your child how you can plan to work together and with other adults in the school/ community to handle the matter
Explain to your child that you can make others aware of the situation and expect people in authority to stop the bullying behavior
If a child is being bullied online, over text, over social media, over video games:
Try to collect evidence of the abuse
Screenshots can be very helpful
Make sure to block the aggressor
Encourage your child to take a temporary break from social media if it occurred over an app
Safety plans and rules regarding social media within your home can make your child feel less vulnerable or alone when cyberbullying occurs
As their parents, you are going to have a lot of feelings.
It's natural to feel frustrated or angry about your child being bullied
Sometimes the school may not handle it in the manner you see fit, or within a timeframe you would prefer
Try not to overreact so that you can model for them how you would like for them to handle the situation
Avoid victim blaming, telling your child to physically retaliate or confront the bully, or harsh language regarding the bully in front of them (the bully is, at the end of the day, a child too)
Try to let your child or adolescent determine the next steps
Validate their feelings
Work together on practicing safe and effective ways to combat the bullying
If your child is experiencing bullying in their community, school, online, or otherwise, it is possible that they can develop confidence issues and more symptoms of depression and/or anxiety. If this happens, you may need a mental health professional who specializes in kids and teens to help provide more support for your child and give them someone to talk to. A counselor can teach your child assertiveness skills, work with them on their self-esteem, talk about boundary making and communicating, discuss peer conflict issues with them, have parent or family sessions, teach social skills, and so much more. Reach out to Amel Counseling & Consulting today for a free, 15-minute phone consultation and get set up with a therapist for your child!