One of the biggest fears you can have as a parent is seeing your child get bullied. Being bullied can have a profound impact on a child’s self esteem, academic efficiency and psychological state. Bullying is by no means okay, however the unlucky truth is, kids can be imply and it’s not always easy to see the signs. Kids who get bullied may not be upfront about it for fear of humiliation or not wanting the bully to know they’re “tattling” on them. If you have a sense your child is being bullied, we really feel for you, and we’ve rounded up 12 indicators your child is being bullied and methods you can assist them.
12 Signs Your Child is Being Bullied
1. Reluctance to go to school within the morning
2. Frequent complications and stomachaches
3. Loss or changes in friendships
4. Trouble sleeping at night
5. Sudden change in consuming habits, like skipping meals or binge eating
6. Crying or intense emotional reactions towards school or social activities
7. Declining grades; lack of curiosity in schoolwork
8. Getting upset after phone calls or textual content messages
9. Less talkative or social at home than they usually are
10. Becoming reactive with siblings and different kids
11. Obsession with or withdrawal from devices
12. Torn clothes or bodily marks; unexplained injuries
8 Ways to Help a Child Who is Being Bullied
1. Talk to Your Child
It can be a delicate subject, however it’s important to speak to your child if you suspect they’re being bullied. Be as tender as you can about it. If you don’t want to come proper out and ask if they’re being bullied, you can begin out phrasing it in one other way, such as “I’ve heard a lot about bullying on the information and social media, is that going on in your school?” or “I’m worried about you. Are there any kids who’re imply to you at school or exclude you on purpose?”. Try to get the dialog going and make them really feel as comfortable as possible to see if they’ll open as much as you about it.
2. Offer Support
It’s so important that your child retains talking to you about the situation and is conscious of you support them. Check in with your kids daily about how issues are going at school and create a nurturing local weather so they aren’t afraid to inform you if something’s going on.
If it’s clear they’re being bullied, make sure you inform them it’s not their fault and it’s not because they’re weak or because there’s something wrong with them. Let them know that bullying is much less about the sufferer and extra about the bully. They want to know that their security and well-being are important and that they want to always talk to an grownup about their problems, big or small.
3. Advise Them to Walk Away or Ignore the Bully
If possible, they want to attempt to take away themselves from the situation as quickly as possible and attempt to not present anger or fear within the moment. Let them know that ignoring the bully is usually the best option.
Kids who bully often pick on these that are responsive (get upset, cry, lash out), so in the event that they stroll away to a safer place, they’re basically saying they’re not going to entertain being teased, and it doesn’t matter to them. Sometimes that is all you want to finish a bullying situation entirely, however in different instances, it will take extra action.
4. Try Role Playing
It’s important to present your child how to react to a bully incase strolling away is not an option. This is the place role playing can come in very handy. Role playing is a nice way to construct confidence and empower your child to deal with challenges.
You can play the bully and your child can practice different responses till they really feel assured dealing with bully situations. Responses ought to be easy and direct like “leave me alone”, “aren’t you drained of this yet?” or “what you’re doing is not ok”. This is efficient since it turns the desk on the person doing the bullying, calling them out within the moment.
5. Reach Out to Someone at Their School
Most schools take bullying very seriously, so be certain to speak with your child’s school and report any bullying incidents. The school staff may not know what’s going on, so it’s important to make them conscious to allow them to monitor it appropriately and get concerned if want be. Talk to a teacher, guidance counsellor, principal or school administrator and ensure to follow up with the school to see what actions are being taken.
6. Build Your Child’s Confidence
The extra assured your child feels, the much less the bullying will have an effect on their self esteem. Encourage hobbies, sports activities and extracurricular actions that your child actually enjoys and is good at doing.
The extra positive the experience, the higher they’ll really feel about themself. Honour their strengths and encourage wholesome connections with others in these activities. They could also be able to create an amazing, supportive community outside of school that makes them really feel extra assured day to day.
7. Strength in Numbers
Suggest your child ought to plan to stroll with a friend in areas the place they’re likely to be confronted, such because the bathroom, at recess, or in between classes. It’s extra intimidating for a bully to single you out when you have a friend by your side. If your child and their “buddy” are willing to face up for every other, it could reduce the interactions with the bully.
8. Encourage Your Child to Be an Upstander
Being an upstander, rather than a passive bystander, means a child takes positive motion when they see a friend or different student being bullied. Another child talking up against bullying and by no means simply watching it occur can be so highly effective and can encourage others to face up against the bully as well. This can result in different kids standing up for your child when they see them getting bullied and can actually assist to cease the situation overall.
Knowing that your child is being bullied is a tough pill to swallow. We hope these indicators of what to look out for and tips on how to assist are useful.
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