Most children and teenagers face bullying of some form in their school life at some point. Bullying is deliberately tormenting in verbal, physical or emotional ways, ranging from teasing, name calling and hitting to taunting and cyberbullying.
When your child is facing any kind of bullying, your first natural reaction as a parent is to make it stop. But it is not that easy as it sounds and it is essential to support your child, no matter what type of bullying he or she is facing.
Following are some steps to help you deal with your child getting bullied:
Listen to your Child
It is significant to understand what type of bullying your child is facing, and encourage him to talk about it openly. While doing so, be careful about not to be judgmental and try to find a reason for him or her being the victim. Provide unconditional support so that he or she will discuss the problems in future as well.
Train the Child on How to React
Bullies generally choose children who will easily get upset, as their targets. Basically, they will pick up on someone, who cannot stand up for himself and react. Hence, it is essential to train your child to face the situation by advising him to avoid the bullies as much as possible or go away from a place where he feels unsafe.
Discuss the Issue with a School Authority
Take the issue to the school authorities as it is their responsibility to stop bullying. Take help from the teachers and school counselor, to find out a way to address the issue. This way, the child will have a sense of control over the situation and he will gain more confidence through support from the counselor and teachers.
Support your Child
It is very important to let your child know that you are on his side and you understand his problem by not blaming him.
Get Support from Others
It really helps to talk to other family members and friends about the emotional crisis you and your child is facing. It gives you the much needed feeling of belonging, and reaffirm that it is not your child’s fault, that he is bullied.
Gang up for Safety
Instruct your child to be not alone in areas where he thinks the bullies lurk; instead ask him to be with his friends in a group so that he will not be picked on easily.
Keep Calm and move on
Last but not the least, advise your child to keep his calm, overlook the bully, firmly ask the bully to stop and to quietly walk away. Also, you can encourage the child to engage in some activity which he or she is good at, and this can further boost up their confidence.
Always remember that, parents are a child’s biggest support system and their guidance and support can turn the bullying experience into a positive learning experience for him.