Not a day goes by without hearing about another bullying incident — and as a parent, it can be hard to know how to deal with the problem. After all, you want your child to feel safe at school, not scared. Undoubtedly, it’s a tough issue that schools and parents struggle with.
Many parents are frustrated by the bullying. They know it’s wrong, but they feel helpless because they can’t prevent it. Some parents believe their children complain too much (not true), and they refuse to accept their kids are being bullied. Others don’t realize that they are bullies because their own words, attitudes, and behaviors may be directing the behavior of others toward their child.
What Is Bullying?
Bullying is repeated aggressive behavior involving a real or perceived power imbalance—intentionally harming the victim, including making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group.
They also use intimidating actions like making fun of someone or interacting with them in ways they don’t understand. It can happen to anyone, but it is most common to target children.
Some experts say that bullying occurs most often in elementary school, but there is evidence that it can begin at any age. Bullying can be verbal (talking about someone), physical (hitting, punching, and kicking), or cyber (using the Internet to harass someone). It doesn’t matter if it’s for fun or a reward like a toy, car, or money.
Why Is Bullying Dangerous?
Bullying can be a severe problem that causes emotional and physical damage. The bullying a child experiences plays a vital role in their development. In addition, it can have long-lasting effects on the victim, so it is essential to identify the cause of bullying early.
There are various ways bullies hurt their victims:
1. Physical: A bully may try to hurt someone physically by hitting, kicking, punching, and pulling hair. This will leave the victim with a bruise or mark (scars) and may cause lasting damage. It can lead to broken bones that could damage their health for life for a child.
2. Verbal: A bully may attempt to humiliate another by repeatedly repeating hurtful words or phrases and making fun of the victim. Verbal bullying can have many forms, such as:
- threatening to beat someone up
- saying something about the victim’s clothing
- making fun of their voice.
- making fun of their mannerisms
- making fun of their appearance
- spreading rumors about them (e.g., wearing makeup, being gay, or having a learning disability”.)
This kind of bully can lead a child to be different from others and to feel alone. It can hurt and distress the victim’s self-esteem, leading to low self-esteem and bad behavior.
3. Cyberbullying: It’s a form of electronic harassment where a child is harassed using computers or the Internet. This includes using e-mail, instant messaging, text messaging, or social networking sites like Facebook to bully another person. Cyberbullying can impact the bully’s victims because they could lose their confidence and become withdrawn. It also disrupts their lives, making it difficult to get a good education and feel safe at school.
4. Social isolation: This is where a bully excludes someone from a group on purpose. It’s difficult for kids to survive in a world that constantly seeks social acceptance, so bullying makes them feel frustrated, unhappy, and angry. Social isolation can lead to depression and low self-esteem.
What Are The Effects of Bullying?
There are many effects of bullying on the victim. Here are some of the most common:
1. Deteriorate self-esteem: Bullying can lead to low self-esteem, which can cause the child to feel worthless, angry, and afraid. Some children may even experience depression.
2. Loss of friends: This is a major consequence of bullying because the victim will have fewer people to protect them. It also means that they have to spend time alone, which increases the risk of depression and suicide. Friends are important because they protect from being bullied, so losing friends is risky for victims.
3. Physical health problems: Constant bullying can lead to physical health problems. Victims may develop stress headaches and stomachaches and become tired easily, which is hard to cope with.
4. Depression and anxiety: If you notice that your child often sits in a corner at home without talking much, it could be a sign that they’re afraid of being bullied at school or on the way there.
5. Stress: Victims often stay up late at night worrying about what’s happening to them. They may feel tense and constantly on edge because they feel unsafe.
6. Feeling unsafe: Victims stop feeling safe when others take advantage of them, so they experience several fears, such as being left alone or in the dark. They also fear going to school and being around other kids.
It’s not late to stop bullying. We can all do something to prevent this from happening. Please read this article and talk to your child about the importance of good behavior to achieve success in school and life.
What To Do If Your Child Is Being Bullied?
Bullying is a very difficult problem for parents because they can’t control it directly.
It’s essential to take action to prevent bullying from happening. Here’s what you can do to bully proof your child.
1. Reinforcing Self-Confidence
Teaching your child to stand up for themselves is an excellent way to make bullies respect them. It makes them understand that they will not be able to bully someone who has self-confidence. It will help your child excel in any situation.
2. Showing Your Support
Be sure to show your support for your child. If you don’t make them feel comfortable, they will be reluctant to return to school after a bad day at school. You should also let your child know that there is nothing wrong with them and that it’s not their fault; the bully is just jealous or insecure.
Let them know that you will always be there for them. Show your child that you have faith in them and know that they can do great things in life. It is a great way to bully proof your child.
3. Watch for Sudden Behavioral Changes
Bullying often causes children to experience a lot of stress, affecting their behavior at home and school. Pay attention to any sudden changes in their behavior to make sure they’re not dealing with any stressful situation at school.
4. Enroll Them In Martial Arts
Bullying can cause a lot of anxiety, especially when the victim cannot face the bully. They need to learn how to handle bullies effectively. Another good way to bully proof your child is to enroll them in a martial arts class. Martial arts can teach kids to defend themselves by using physical strength and mental attitude. It also teaches them to be confident that they can do it alone if they have no one else’s support.
Martial arts are very popular in China because Chinese parents believe they will teach their children about discipline, patience, and respect for others. Against bullies contains a few fighting techniques such as Karate and Kung Fu, which is excellent for self-defense.
5. Engage Them In Sports or Any Social Activity
Playing sports can teach them how to win and cope with stress. It is also an opportunity for them to make new friends. Social activities help children build their self-esteem, another way of bullying-proofing.
6. Have a Daily One-on-One Talk With Your Child
Be sure to talk to your child about being bullied. They must understand what it means and how to deal with it. It is also essential that they are aware of the effects of bullying on them to take the appropriate steps. This can also allow you to find out what’s going on and a way to bully proof your child.
7. Consult a Psychologist
If you think your child is depressed, anxious, or having trouble sleeping, it’s always best to consult a psychologist. They will be able to give you guidance about how to handle the situation. With proper guidance, your child will be able to overcome the bullying.
8. Establish a Buddy System
Bullies love to target children who are alone. When you notice your child spending too much time alone, make sure they have someone to spend the day with. It is best to have a buddy system to prevent bullying from happening—an effective way to bully proof your little one.
9. Use Kind Words
In the case of bullying, you can help your child by using kind words when someone disrespects them. Being nice will cause the bully to feel embarrassed and guilty. It’s also a good way for your child to deal with bullies effectively.
10. Punish Bullies
If your child is being bullied, it’s best to report it to the school. To administer punishment, ask the bully’s parents to meet. This way, it will stop any more bullying from happening.
The Takeaway
Learning how to bully proof your child is a great way to prevent bullying from happening. It gives your child the confidence they need to face any bully whether it’s at school or elsewhere.
The best thing you can do to bully proof your child is to teach them how to stand up for themselves and show them that they are loved and accepted by you. Making sure they have friends who respect their individuality will also help them achieve their goals in life.
No matter what type of bullying your child is going through, it’s essential to be there for them and let them know you’re always there. Remember that bullying is a severe problem, so preventing it from happening is the best thing you can do.
That’s why NY BabySteps is here to help you with any bullying problems you are going through.
We can provide professional advice and all that is needed to tackle the problem of bullying. We can also offer you a range of unique solutions to your situation. We believe that our approach is the right to take, mainly because we believe that actions speak louder than words.
If you struggle to deal with your child’s bullying situation, don’t hesitate to contact us today. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
