I never imagined that I would be writing a blog post about bullying, but here we are. Yesterday, my daughter confided in me about a bullying incident at school. Did you know most kids have been victims of or have witnessed bullying? But sadly, only 20% of bullying incidents get reported. Despite the fact I was very upset about the situation, I was humbled by the fact my daughter felt safe enough to tell me about what happened.
Creating a Safe Space
It’s so important to offer safe spaces to our children where they can open up to us and tell us about these experiences. Remember, you can’t help your child through a bullying event if they don’t tell you about it first. Regardless of what your child shares with you, make sure to let them know that speaking up was the right thing to do and that you will always be here to support them and help them in tough times.
Talking Points to Address Bullying
- No one deserves to be bullied
- Every child deserves to be treated with respect
- Parents and teachers are here to help if there is a bully
- Adults can help stop a bully from hurting others
- Parents are here to help kids feel supported and empowered
- Personal space and feelings need to be respected
What to Do if Your Child is Being Bullied
When your child is the victim of a bully, your first impulse may be to tell your child to stick up for themselves or to ignore the bully. However, the issue isn’t your child’s fault, so telling them they need to change enforces the idea that they did something wrong. Take a deep breath before reacting and remember that what happened was a choice made by a bully, and your child is simply a victim.
Contact Your Child’s School
Make sure your child’s teacher and principal are involved. With the support of school staff, your child can change seating arrangements or other accommodations can be made to protect your child from their bully. Schools can also help communicate with the bully’s parents and discuss consequences with the family for the bullying.
We can’t shield our children from all incidents of bullying, but we can equip ourselves with the tools to help them process and recover from it.
I hope you’ll utilize these tips to talk to your child about bullying.
xoxo,
Michaela Rae
V. Studio 