October is a month that has been dedicated to the anti-bullying initiative, however, this is something that should be addressed continually throughout the year. It is something we are all familiar with, but when your child becomes the victim of it, it can be difficult to decide how to handle the situation.
Teach your children early on that it’s not okay for anyone to treat them poorly. If one of the kids hurt their feelings at school, be sure to tell them that just because someone said something mean about them doesn’t make it true. Let them know that it is okay to stand up for yourself, but that you don’t have to be mean back. Teach your child when to walk away. If someone is being mean to them, they don’t have to stay and listen.
If they bullying is really getting out of hand or they start to worry about their safety it is time to get the teacher involved. Many times the teachers are unaware of what is going on in the playground. Be sure to tell her what is going on so that she can take the appropriate measures to keep her classroom a safe place for all her students.
Give your children other outlets for their feelings. Let them know that you are always there to talk about anything, but if they don’t feel like talking about it give them other ways to express those emotions. They could play an instrument, draw a picture, write a story, or go for a walk. Sometimes all they need is a little time to sort out their feelings.
As a parent it is hard to see your kids hurting. You can’t always protect them from everything. There are bullies everywhere. These days kids can be downright cruel to each other. If your child is being bullied, don’t sit idly by and let it happen. Give your children the tools to deal with it on their own and recruit help in dealing with the situation as needed. No child deserves to be bullied.