How to STOP Bullying
It’s a heart breaking situation: a kid you care about is being bullied at school. What can you do? How do you handle the situation and help? It can feel overwhelming, frustrating and even frightening. It’s uniquely difficult because bullying now reaches beyond school walls; with the Internet, bullying can be a very real problem 24/7.
As a parent or caring adult, there are things you can do. In this video, I share key tactics you can use to empower a kid dealing with bullying.
WATCH: HOW TO STOP BULLYING
“Hurt is ultimately at the heart of bullying.”
IMPORTANT POINTS
1. These tactics are specific to emotional and verbal bullying. If you or a kid you know is being physically harmed or property stolen…you need to talk to an adult in charge. There are rules in place to protect you.
2. Seek to understand the motivation behind the bullying. That kid who is being a bully is doing such, often, because they are hurt. And that’s NOT an excuse, it’s simply a motivation. Understanding the motivation informs the proper response. Responding with strategic compassion will often diffuse their efforts.
3. To diffuse verbal bullying, you must not participate in it. When a bully gets no result from a situation and they move on to find a situation that will give them a result they seek. As James Lehman says, “You don’t have to attend every fight you’re invited to.”
4. You must rehearse bullying scenarios, so they know exactly how to respond. Let your kid be the bully and you be your kid. Let them yell at you, and say all the things the bully would say to them. And then respond calmly and kindly, no matter what the bully is saying.
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PLEASE HEAR ME: Bullying can be a frightening experience for both YOU and your child. Please consider working together to teach your child how to effectively handle a bully. And in the process, you’ll be equipping your child with a skill that will save them a lifetime; handling difficult people.
