When Your Kid Gets Bullied

Posted on 01 28, 2007 under The Manual by gregoryng | View Comments

bullyMy daughter got bullied last week in school. Let me tell you, it was the worst feeling in the world. There is nothing worse than tasting that first bite of the realization, that you can't protect them forever.

Here's how it all went down. My daughter was chillin' at recess with her pink Barbie sunglasses and a group of 3 "friends" knocked off her sunglasses to the ground and told her that they weren't going to play with her. Instead of my daughter crying or telling the teacher, she used her sphere of influence and told the other kids what happened (hopefully in hopes of turning the majority vote onto her side)

What made me feel sad, is that she didn't even tell my wife or me. My daughter came home that day and acted as if nothing happened. We found out because the bullies ratted themselves out to their parents who in turn, called us. Isn't it great when your kids are at an age when guilt gets the best of them? It would be naive to think you can prevent your kid from ever getting teased just like it would be foolish to think they will tell you every time it happens.

{mosnooad}But here are a few things to know about bullying:

• If your kid isn't getting bullied it could mean that your kid is the bully. And that is not a good thing. Statistics have shown that 60% of boys who were bullies in middle school had at least one conviction by the age of 24.

• Bullies prey on lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem. Teach your kids to look the bully straight in the eye and tell them to stop. Bullies pick easy targets. Standing toe to toe with one will intimidate them and cause them to pick on someone else.

• Having a girl does not prevent her from being a bully or getting bullied.

• Bullying requires an audience. Tech your kids to walk away when they witness bullying.

• Communication is key. Make sure your kids are comfortable talking about their day and their friends.

• Avoid overprotecting your kids. Sheltering them will avoid their need to solve their own problems.

Bullying is a serious issue in the world today. Many kids are bullied to the point of dropping out of school, depression, and even suicide. Good luck noodads.

 

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  • I have been teaching in a school and according to my experience only those kids become bully who have been given more than the required attentions at home i.e. the spoiled kids and they want other ppl to be the same as their family members n if they don't get a good response they start bullying
  • For the parents of the victims, reassure your child that they've done nothing to deserve this mistreatment by the other child. If name calling is taking place, do NOT let them believe that any of it is true. Help build their self esteem and their self confidence... not just in situations like this, but in ALL areas. Commend them for doing the right thing; do not be so quick to argue with them if they have a different opinion than you do. Listen, then discuss things with them calmly.
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    i am being bullied
  • I have been teaching in a school and according to my experience only those kids become bully who have been given more than the required attentions at home i.e. the spoiled kids and they want other ppl to be the same as their family members n if they don't get a good response they start bullying
  • wahoodad
    It\'s a fact of life that kids can be cruel, so you\'ve got to let your kid know about bullies and what to do if they run into one--just as you teach them what to do if a stranger approaches them. Bullying can start early, too. In my son\'s preschool class a couple of years ago, there was a bonafide three-girl clique of four-year-olds that teased another little girl for--get this--dressing like a baby. My son\'s school teaches an anti-bullying campaign starting in Kindergarten. He recently enrolled in jujitsu, which I hope will increase his self-confidence and allow him to take care of himself if any bullies target him.

    Let\'s not forget about another repercussion of bullying. Although an extreme example of what can happen, almost every kid who shoots up a school is described as having been bullied in the past.
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