11. Teach problem-solving skills.
Author of Bully Nation, Dr. Susan Eva Porter says, “Unfortunately we’ve redefined all childhood aggression as bullying. Labeling kids as bullies or victims creates a divide in situations where one person’s story is right and the other’s is wrong, or even irrelevant. State mandates have forced schools to develop zero tolerance for what are often normal childhood conflicts; conflicts that we need to teach children to work through rather than shielding them.” So what should we do? Empower our kids with communication and problem-solving skills so that they have options when it comes to dealing with conflicts. They’ll feel less victimized and more in control of the situation.
12. Model the values and behavior you want to instill in your child.
We all know that nobody’s perfect, but do your best to practice what you preach.
