Parents
Every parent worries about their kid getting bullied and being a bully. Here are some tips and advice on how to help your child.
Is your kid getting bullied? If your child is getting bullied, here are simple ways you can help them out.
1. If child is getting cyberbullied, don't just stand there and wait for it to stop. Shut down the account, get a new mobile number, don't play the game, or tell someone that this is happening. Your child might not want to tell anyone but it would be the right thing to do as a parent. Your child might not want to stop playing that game, it could be their favorite game, but they have to stop playing in order for the bullying to stop. If it doesn't stop, tell someone and they can handle this. They can always get a new account and always unfriend that person but that won't stop the person from bullying them. They may continue as a verbal or a physical bully instead. If you did everything you could to try and stop this and it continues, then it's time to tell someone. It's never a bad idea to tell someone right away before it gets serious. (See the verbal and the physical bully pages on this site to find out more about these types of bullies.).
2. Make sure that your child knows that anger and violence is never the answer. If he/she loses their temper, the bully might tell someone that your child was yelling/cursing or harming the bully in some way. That would get your child in trouble and they might not have the courage to say that the person is bullying them. It's times like that where you as a parent would have to stand up and say something.
3. He/She should use humor! Not cruel humor but funny humor. When the bully insults your child, they should laugh and say, "Hahaha, that's so funny! You are so right I am a dumb-dumb! Hahaha!" Tell your child that fear is a bully's energizer. It's what keeps them going. Show them you don't care what they have to say. Just remember keep it clean and friendly. But if the victim seems to be getting hurt then you should tell someone or do something yourself.
4. Simply walk away. If they walk away and the bully follows, tell the people around them to join in and have some fun with them. The bully will eventually get bored and walk away. Most bullies like attention but when they don't get the attention they want, they leave and continously doing that could stop the bullying all together.
5. Tell them to confuse the bully. Every time the bully says something, your child can start dancing or laughing. Before the bully can say anything your kid can say a bunch of knock knock jokes and the bully would be so confused that he/she will walk away. Hopefully if your kid keeps doing this the bullying will stop all together.
6. Even though your child is already getting bullied try to tell them about bullies and bullying and the importance of bystanders. Make sure to repeat this talk very often so they never forget and you can get everyone together as a family to talk this over. If your whole family knows about bullying then thats even more people who can stand up and speak out!
7. Don't put electronics and gaming consoles in kid's rooms. Try to put them in open areas where the family is usually at. This is not a way to invade your child's privacy. It's just a way to monitor what they go on and what games they play. You can also say "no" to certain things and set very strict boundries on what you want them to go on and what you don't want them on. This will help them to avoid web pages that bullying tends to happen.
8. Your child should know that this won't last forever. It will stop eventually so they should take it one day at a time. But if it looks like the bullying is starting to effect them in social and physical ways, it needs to stop soon. Remember that you can't just jump out and say ,"I hear you are getting bullied." That will just scare them and that's not the right way to approach them. You should get the family together and say, "I want to discuss bullying" and your child won't feel so scared. Then you should tell someone.
9. When a kid is getting physically bullied it's not hard to tell. They will come home crying, bruised, bleeding, or cut. These are signs of physical bullying. This should be reported right away or it will just get worse and worse. Your child shouldn't stand up to the bully or fight back. If they stand up to the bully, the bully might just hurt them more or hurt them more often. If they fight back, the bully most likely has an advantage and your kid will get hurt more than they already are.
1. If child is getting cyberbullied, don't just stand there and wait for it to stop. Shut down the account, get a new mobile number, don't play the game, or tell someone that this is happening. Your child might not want to tell anyone but it would be the right thing to do as a parent. Your child might not want to stop playing that game, it could be their favorite game, but they have to stop playing in order for the bullying to stop. If it doesn't stop, tell someone and they can handle this. They can always get a new account and always unfriend that person but that won't stop the person from bullying them. They may continue as a verbal or a physical bully instead. If you did everything you could to try and stop this and it continues, then it's time to tell someone. It's never a bad idea to tell someone right away before it gets serious. (See the verbal and the physical bully pages on this site to find out more about these types of bullies.).
2. Make sure that your child knows that anger and violence is never the answer. If he/she loses their temper, the bully might tell someone that your child was yelling/cursing or harming the bully in some way. That would get your child in trouble and they might not have the courage to say that the person is bullying them. It's times like that where you as a parent would have to stand up and say something.
3. He/She should use humor! Not cruel humor but funny humor. When the bully insults your child, they should laugh and say, "Hahaha, that's so funny! You are so right I am a dumb-dumb! Hahaha!" Tell your child that fear is a bully's energizer. It's what keeps them going. Show them you don't care what they have to say. Just remember keep it clean and friendly. But if the victim seems to be getting hurt then you should tell someone or do something yourself.
4. Simply walk away. If they walk away and the bully follows, tell the people around them to join in and have some fun with them. The bully will eventually get bored and walk away. Most bullies like attention but when they don't get the attention they want, they leave and continously doing that could stop the bullying all together.
5. Tell them to confuse the bully. Every time the bully says something, your child can start dancing or laughing. Before the bully can say anything your kid can say a bunch of knock knock jokes and the bully would be so confused that he/she will walk away. Hopefully if your kid keeps doing this the bullying will stop all together.
6. Even though your child is already getting bullied try to tell them about bullies and bullying and the importance of bystanders. Make sure to repeat this talk very often so they never forget and you can get everyone together as a family to talk this over. If your whole family knows about bullying then thats even more people who can stand up and speak out!
7. Don't put electronics and gaming consoles in kid's rooms. Try to put them in open areas where the family is usually at. This is not a way to invade your child's privacy. It's just a way to monitor what they go on and what games they play. You can also say "no" to certain things and set very strict boundries on what you want them to go on and what you don't want them on. This will help them to avoid web pages that bullying tends to happen.
8. Your child should know that this won't last forever. It will stop eventually so they should take it one day at a time. But if it looks like the bullying is starting to effect them in social and physical ways, it needs to stop soon. Remember that you can't just jump out and say ,"I hear you are getting bullied." That will just scare them and that's not the right way to approach them. You should get the family together and say, "I want to discuss bullying" and your child won't feel so scared. Then you should tell someone.
9. When a kid is getting physically bullied it's not hard to tell. They will come home crying, bruised, bleeding, or cut. These are signs of physical bullying. This should be reported right away or it will just get worse and worse. Your child shouldn't stand up to the bully or fight back. If they stand up to the bully, the bully might just hurt them more or hurt them more often. If they fight back, the bully most likely has an advantage and your kid will get hurt more than they already are.
Your child isn't getting bullied? Here are some tips on how you can make sure your child knows what to do when in the situation.
1. Talk to your child about the effects of being a bully and how it feels to be bullied. If your child knows about bullying that will help them in the future. They will know what to do if they are ever the victim. They will also know what to do when they are a bystander. Bystanders are the ones who need to stand up and say something. If your child knows how to do that they will be a real help in the future. Remember to repeat "The Bully Talk" with your child/children often. (How often is up to you.)
2. Tell them that being a bully is wrong. Make sure they know this so they never bully anyone. If they know the effects of bullying they won't do it. Try not to scare them when telling them (if you chose to tell them) about suicide.
1. Talk to your child about the effects of being a bully and how it feels to be bullied. If your child knows about bullying that will help them in the future. They will know what to do if they are ever the victim. They will also know what to do when they are a bystander. Bystanders are the ones who need to stand up and say something. If your child knows how to do that they will be a real help in the future. Remember to repeat "The Bully Talk" with your child/children often. (How often is up to you.)
2. Tell them that being a bully is wrong. Make sure they know this so they never bully anyone. If they know the effects of bullying they won't do it. Try not to scare them when telling them (if you chose to tell them) about suicide.
Your child is a bully? Here are ways to stop them and find out why they bully others.
1. If your child is bullying other kids, then you need to sit down with them and tell them that what they are doing to this kid(s) is not right and how it is affecting the victim. Sitting down with them and telling them about bullying will help them learn about what they are doing and that it's not right and it's hurting the other person(s).
2. Ask them why. If you can find out why they are doing this then maybe you can help them stop bullying. If they are feeling left out, then you and the rest of the family can include them in more, do more as a family, and maybe have a family dinner every night (or however often you chose) and ask everyone how their day was and what they did during the day. If you and your spouse are fighting, then maybe your child is feeling angry about that. Then you need to talk to them and tell them that there was nothing they could do, you and your spouse just don't get along and that they don't need to worry about it everything will be fine. You and your spouse may have other problems, talk to them about that too. Your child's reason may vary. Things like that can cause them to bully others for attention or out of anger.
1. If your child is bullying other kids, then you need to sit down with them and tell them that what they are doing to this kid(s) is not right and how it is affecting the victim. Sitting down with them and telling them about bullying will help them learn about what they are doing and that it's not right and it's hurting the other person(s).
2. Ask them why. If you can find out why they are doing this then maybe you can help them stop bullying. If they are feeling left out, then you and the rest of the family can include them in more, do more as a family, and maybe have a family dinner every night (or however often you chose) and ask everyone how their day was and what they did during the day. If you and your spouse are fighting, then maybe your child is feeling angry about that. Then you need to talk to them and tell them that there was nothing they could do, you and your spouse just don't get along and that they don't need to worry about it everything will be fine. You and your spouse may have other problems, talk to them about that too. Your child's reason may vary. Things like that can cause them to bully others for attention or out of anger.