Is your child being bullied?
Bullying is the deliberate psychological, emotional and/or physical harassment of one person by another (or even by a group). It can include name-calling, teasing, threats, violence, ignoring, stalking, stealing and much more. It can happen at school, in transit, or in other settings where children or young people interact.
Symptoms can include:
- Damaged or missing belongings or clothing
- Unexplained injury
- Loss of confidence
- Personality changes
- An unwillingness to leave the house
- Aggressive or bullying behaviour towards other family members
A few tips for talking to your child about bullying
- Take time to genuinely listen to what’s happening and make it clear it’s not their fault.
- Hear and acknowledge their negative and painful feelings, and take care not to be dismissive.
- Offer comfort, empathy and support.
- Hold onto your own feelings of anger or sadness about the situation, and stay strong in front of your child.
- Resist the temptation to rush into problem solving or solution generation.
- Try to ascertain the meaning your child takes from being bullied. For example, many children actually believe what the bully says about them.
- Summarise the situation. For example, say: “It sounds like you’ve been through a horrible time and you’re feeling scared?”
- Raise the issue of bullying with your child’s school (if relevant).
What to do next:
- Find out about the school’s bullying policy, what the school intends to do and who will follow up on your report. If unsatisfied with the school’s actions, make it clear to the relevant authorities.
- Talk to other parents or a support group about strategies that might help.
- Help your child develop strategies to deal with the bullying. These could include developing assertive communication skills and encouraging your child to find ways to change things.