How Do You Stop School Bullying?

It’s all over the news today: school bullying. And as a caring adult with a kid in your life, it’s probably a concern for you. So what do you do if you suspect your teen is being bullied at school? Is there really something you can do to help them deal with the situation, even diffuse it?

In this episode of Parental Guidance, we’ll be talking about school bullying, why it’s different today and how you can help your kid deal with this challenge.

“Bullying is not a school problem, it’s a human nature problem”

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IMPORTANT POINTS

1. The frustrating reality is that bullying is an all too common problem today. With the advent of social media and other technology, bullying is not just a school problem anymore; kids can be bullied 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As a concerned adult, it can feel like our hands are tied and we can’t shield the children we care about.

2. The best way to help your youth deal with bullying effectively is to come up with a game plan in advance. And you do that by having a conversation with your child. Ask them how they’ve dealt with bullying so far and what has happened as a result of your child’s response to the bully.

You and your child will rehearse and practice your plan together. By coaching your child, you can help them understand which responses work best to diffuse the situation with the bully. You’ll practice together and train, like an athlete trains for a competition.

3. Ultimately for there to be a bully, there must be a victim. If your child doesn’t act like a victim, the bully will move on. At the heart of your practice and coaching, remind your child not to give the bully the satisfaction of a negative response, like yelling, crying or getting angry. I know it isn’t easy but it is doable.