Is Your Child Being Bullied?

Having been verbally and socially bullied as a child, I know all too well the lingering damage that it can do.

Bullying can be verbal (teasing or name-calling), social (leaving someone out intentionally) or...
...physical (hitting or tripping someone). It is defined as repeated aggressive behavior towards another that includes an imbalance of power between the bully and the person being bullied. It most often happens at school or on school property, although it can occur anywhere, including online social networks.

Parents can do many things to help their child. Being observant of a child’s behavior is critical. Is he or she unusually sad or withdrawn? Has the child been complaining about not wanting to attend school? Another thing parents can do is teach their children safety strategies, such as staying with a group of friends or walking with confidence. Finally, parents can boost their child’s self-esteem by encouraging their talents and spending time with their child on a regular basis to build a strong, supportive relationship.

If a child is experiencing bullying at school, parents should contact the child’s teacher and begin documenting when and where bullying events occur. Should the child’s teacher be unable to resolve the issue, parents should contact school administration.

For more information of bullying, check out www.stopbullying.gov.

Contributed by Carrie Vittitoe, parent-writer for Today’s Family magazine.
Photo source: Child Abuse Statistics, Child Abuse Stories