Bullying – Questions and Strategies

Over the past several years bullying has reached new levels in terms of what it looks like. Bullying used to be beating up someone, pushing, shoving and name-calling. Nowadays, there is cyber bullying, text bullying and even email bullying.
Bullying has reached new heights and there is major publicity over bullying, it’s effects and what others can do to prevent it. School boards now have a zero tolerance for bullying.

The Role of Parents with Bullying

What do parents do when their child is being bullied at a young age, it seems to be starting as early as Junior Kindergarten (4-5 years of age). First, you must determine what type of bullying is happening to your child, are they being physically, emotionally or verbally bullied. Once, you have figured that out through conversations with your child, you will then be able to provide them with strategies to stop the bullying.

Questions to ask:

1. When did this behaviour begin
2. Is there a pattern in behaviour
3. What is the child getting out of the behaviour (teacher attention)
4. Have you spoken to your child about why they are behaving like _____.
5. Is there a particular child that is mentioned in conversation
6. Is your child not playing with a certain child he/she was once before

Strategies to implement:

1. Meet with the teacher
2. Meet with the teacher and principle
3. Keep a log of conversations with your child
4. Have a log implemented at school with positive and negative events
5. Develop a positive chart at school when the child exhibits desired behaviours or at home
6. Read stories about expressing emotions
7. Implement activities that allow for expressing emotions

Where is The Bullying Happening?

Another obstacle that must be rectified is where is the bullying taking place, at school, on the bus, while walking home. It is important to determine this, if it is taking place at school then the teacher and principle must be involved in this matter. They will be able to provide support at school, educate the children in the school as a whole or in the particular classroom what bullying is and how it affects others etc.

Setting Up Your Child for Success

It is important to work alongside your child’s school to ensure that your child is set up for success. School’s can have restrictions with what they can or cannot implement, therefore; it is important to meet with your child’s teacher and principle to ensure that certain strategies can be implemented. A positive strategy is to perform a motivational assessment scale on the children involved. This scale is designed to determine what motivates the child in a positive way.>>>>>>>>>>>>

Signs of Bullying

Children who are bullied can exhibit signs of anxiety, here are some tips to assist with anxiety.>>>>>>>>>>. Bullying can show up in many different ways, children can shut down, become emotional, aggressive or timid.

Keep the lines of communication open with your child, this way he/she will be more willing to tell you if they are being bullied. I can tell you from personal experience that your child may not know exactly how to tell you, or even understand that he/she is being bullied. By asking questions, you will be able to determine this and possibly even get your child to tell you what exactly is happening.

Fighting Bullying is a Team Effort

Finally, ensure that you take care of yourself, find support through family, friends and other professionals, this is not something that most people can deal with on their own, it is emotional and trying to watch your child go through being bullied. Just know, that it will stop by support and teaching your child how to cope with it along with the support of school officials.

Read more on Defining Bullying and How To Understand It.