6 Ways to Help Your Child Deal With Bullying
Bullying is a huge problem in many schools, and it can be scary to think about what’s happening at school. Especially because you’re not around your kids when they’re being bullied or if they don’t talk to you about their day. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything we as adults can do.
This article will give some suggestions on how you can help make bullying easier for them. We’ll discuss things like teaching children empowerment skills so that no matter where life takes them, they feel confident enough to handle any situation thrown their way.
1. Listen to Your Children
The right way to communicate with children is by listening. Ask them about their day, and make it a habit of asking how they are feeling or what happened in school that day. If you show interest in everything happening in your child’s life, then he/she will feel heard and understood by telling someone else besides themselves when something goes awry.
You should empathize when the time arises but don’t blame yourself for not being able to stop this from happening because these things will never go away even though we wish they would! Instead, encourage them that the best thing to do is to speak up for themselves and for what is right.
2. Talk About the Power of Words
Explain to your child how powerful words can be, that even a single word can build or ruin someone’s life so they must be careful. If they experience bullying, it doesn’t mean that they need to make others experience it also.
Put in their mind that their goal should always be inspiring and making others happy through their words and not hurting them.
Likewise, when they get to experience bullying, they can also use their voice as defense and make things right by reporting the situation to the right people.
3. Talk to Your Child’s Teachers or the Principal
Since you don’t witness what exactly happens in your kids’ everyday life in school, it is important to talk to their teachers or the principal because they are in a better position to help you deal with the problem. Make sure you approach them respectfully and tell them your child’s complaint and your concerns. With this, they can take immediate actions on how to handle the situation.
4. Encourage Them Not to Strike Over Words
Tell your child to always think before they act even if they are in a difficult situation. Retaliating could make things worse. It is important to make your children understand that they should not retaliate against bullies, especially if they are being taunted in front of friends or classmates who seem unmoved by the cruelty.
However, it doesn’t mean they should just let bullies step on them. Help your children learn how to manage emotions without tolerating this bad act.
5. Teach Your Child The Power of Walking Away
Tell your kids that they should never let themselves get stuck in a situation where they feel unsafe because that’s one reason why bullies still exist. They might think that walking away is a sign of cowardice so make them understand that it’s actually the opposite. Walking away shows bravery.
6. Help Them Learn More About Themselves
When we hear cases of bullying, we usually tell the victim to just ignore the bullies. But, what you need to do is help your kids learn more about themselves. This is a way to build their self-confidence and resilience which can be useful in certain situations related to this in the future. It’s essential to put in their heads that they are more than what they think they are. Tell them that they are worthy and they don’t deserve to be bullied.
A great way to build your child’s self-worth is through a supportive program like Brian Mayes Karate. Learn more and see our Back to School Special HERE!