Bullying can happen anywhere – in school, at home or online and might involve someone pushing you, hitting you, teasing you, talking about you or calling you names. No one has the right to hurt a child or make them feel bad, and if your child is being bullied you don’t have to put up with it, you do something about it.
The effects of bullying
There are often differences of interpretation with some of this behaviour – what’s considered gentle teasing by one child might appear as intimidation to another. There is no doubt that for some children and young people, bullying – however defined – is the most stressful experience of their lives. Some fear it so much they refuse to go to school or find excuses to avoid situations where bullying can occur.
At the most extreme level, bullying can on rare occasions lead to suicide or attempted suicide, so it must always be taken seriously.
Victims of bullying
Some young people are more likely to be the victims of bullying than others. Those with an obvious physical characteristic, such as being overweight, can become targets, as can those with some form of disability. Those who are shy or diffident, or who find it hard to stand up for themselves may also be vulnerable.
Victims of bullying often feel ashamed of what is happening and blame themselves. It is here that friends and important adults have a key role to play – bullying victims need support to see that it’s not their fault and that something can be done to help them.
As a parent or guardian, what can you do?
Adults can do a number of things to help, although sometimes it can be difficult to see how to proceed. If your child is showing signs of stress and you are not sure what is going on, bullying may be one possible cause. Here are 8 good tips on how to help your child.
8 Tips on how to help if child is bullied in school
- Do not ignore the bullying – often, ignoring bullying allows it to become more serious.
- Never blame your child for getting bullied – always try to find out what caused the bullying in the first place.
- Listen to what your child tells you – ask him or her to describe who was involved and how and where each bullying episode happened.
- Try to find out as much as you can about the bullying tactics used, and when and where the bullying happened.
- Show our child that you care deeply – tell them that that bullying is wrong, not their fault, and that you are glad they had the courage to tell you about it.
- Do not criticise you child about how they handled the bullying situation – offer them advice instead.
- Never, under any circumstances, encourage physical retaliation – hitting another student is not likely to end the problem but exacerbate the situation.
- Make sure you check your emotions – although difficult, always step back and consider the next steps carefully.
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USEFUL WEBSITES: www.bullying.co.uk
Thank you the article is very helpful for me and my only son.