Bullies are a sad reality for us all, but especially for our kids. It’s one of our responsibilities as a parent to give our children the tools they’ll need for dealing with bullies for the rest of their lives. In addition, we should all probably strive to prevent our own kids from bullying others, right? Ugh, parenting is hard!
StopBullying.gov defines bullying as, “Unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.” Turns our stomachs a little, especially when DoSomething.org reports that 17% of American students say they are bullied 2-3 times a month. So parents, it’s never too early to start with these 12 ways to prep your kid for dealing with bullies this fall.
1. Explain why some kids bully others.
Oftentimes, kids who are bullies have been the victims of violence at home or at the hand of another bully. By nature, kids who value power and popularity over everything else are more likely to become bullies. Our society tends to reward pushy, aggressive behavior in both the media and in the business world. Explaining all this to your kids might give them some perspective and insight into their peers.
Read Related: Bullying, Bisexuality, and Social Media: A Teen’s Perspective
