Is Your Child Being Bullied?
At least 10 per cent of school age children are victims of bullying. Most parents however can’t tell if their child is being bullied simply because it’s rare that a child will actually come out and tell his parents he is being harassed at school. Look out for these tell tale signs that your child is being bullied:
Having trouble sleepingAvoids schoolChanges in personality or behavior patternsAlways seems anxious, nervous or afraidUnexplainable changes in school gradesOdd physical complaints that crop up only during school daysComes home with some belongings damaged or missing
If you suspect your child is being bullied at school, don’t come right out and ask him. Chances are he’ll deny it. Instead ask open ended questions – is everything OK in school, is he being teased in the playground or in the school bus or classroom. Ask if there are any bullies at school.
If your suspicions are confirmed, there are some things that you can advise your child to do in the face of harassment.
Tell him to be polite, but firm with the bully.
Tell him if possible not to show emotions or cry. If this is not possible, tell him to walk away.
Make him understand it’s not his fault.
Don’t encourage him to fight back. Some parents however prefer to enroll their children in a martial arts class to teach them to be assertive. This is a good idea provided the child does not use the training to pick fights or be aggressive.
Make use of role playing exercises to demonstrate tactics that will help your child deal with bullying.
Talk to school authorities about the problem. They might be able to monitor your child better and intervene when bullying begins.
If the problem increases, have a meeting with the school authorities and the parents of the bully.
For more ways to deal with the problem check out http://www.parentinged.com/bullying/How-To-Deal-With-The-Effects-Of-Bullying-In-Children.html
Filed under: Schooling
