No parent wants to be told that their child is being bullied. After an incident is reported, how you react, as a parent, is important. Here are some tips for parents on how to deal with their kid being bullied.
5 Tips for Parents on How to Handle their Kid Being Bullied
1. Stay calm when your child tells you that they’ve been bullied.
It’s really easy to get angry when you find out your child has been a victim of bullying. Don’t give into the anger. Make sure to listen to your child so you can assess how you can help them in their situation. Reacting in anger, could end up hurt yourself and your child. Also, in keeping calm, it allows your child to calm down and feel like the situation is under control.
2. If the incident is occurring at school, inform the teacher.
If your child is being bullied at school or any place where there’s adult supervision, inform the person in charge. Don’t do it while other children are present. Schedule a time outside of normal class hours to discuss the problem. Your issue is important an will take more time than during class allows. This can also allow the teacher to devote one on one time with you and your kid and possibly invite the parents of the child that is doing the bullying, and find a resolution for the children.
3. Make sure to let your child know that you support them and will help diffuse the situation.
The worst thing you can do to your child, is not acknowledge their problem or give them any support. In not giving your child support, they are left feeling helpless and alone in the situation. On an emotional level, each child has their own way of dealing with bullies, and without support your child could get into fights or resort to self-harm.
4. Educate your child on why bullying is wrong, and needs to be addressed.
Regardless of the fact that your child is being bullied, it’s important to make sure they are informed on what bullying is, and why it’s wrong. Some children may not be able to recognize behavior that is considered bullying, like some forms of verbal abuse. It’s important that they can recognize it, and that they are aware of how to handle the situation.
5. Encourage your child to discover and try things until they find something they’re good at.
Usually, a bully will pick on your kid because they see that your child isn’t good at something, or does something strangely. Not everyone is perfect, and sometimes your child just needs to discover what they are really good at doing. Encourage them to try new things, and if it doesn’t work out, don’t push them to keep doing it. Thank them for trying, tell them that you’re proud of them, and then move onto the next activity to try.
Has your child been bullied? What other tips can you share with other parents on how to handle your child being bullied?
It’s heartbreaking and so hard to stay calm when your child is being bullied. You almost want them to be mean back to the bully, yet that turns them into the bully. You also think you can set that bully straight, but again you become the bully. These re some really good points along with prayer that’ll go a long way in helping your child.