WHAT PARENTS OF BULLIES CAN DO?

Sometimes the parents of bullies are not even aware that their child is bullying other children. If you discover that your child is a bully, there are many things you can do to combat the bullying. First of all, it is best to respond to the situation right away. Inform your child that his or her words and/or actions are absolutely unacceptable. If the bullying happens at school, meet with your child's teacher or principal in order to find out more about your child's behaviors at school. Is this bullying behavior a consistent concern? Does your child have one victim or several? When and where does the bullying occur? Are there certain children who join in with your child to do this bullying?

You should also be sure to respect the way the school is responding to the bullying and know that they are doing it for your child's best interest. Be aware that if bullying is not addressed, bullies may grow up to have big legal and personal issues in their futures. Ask the school to keep in touch with you about how things are going.

Sometimes the parents' behavior is part of the bullying problem. Parents need to think of their own behavior at home. Your child may be imitating what you say and do. If you swear at home, your child might swear. If you say racial or ethnic comments or jokes, your child may say the same things to other kids. Also, consider how you discipline your children. If you use physical force, your child may use physical force with other children.

If your child has trouble controlling their anger, teach them some healthy ways to deal with it. Tell them they should attack the problem, not the person. Compliment your child for positive behavior, especially when it has to do with how they treat others and how they handle anger. You also need to be aware of what your child watches on T.V., which video games he or she plays, what they do on the computer, where they are, and who they hang out with.

Parents need to give their children fair consequences for bullying. If your child broke or damaged anything, make sure they replace it. However, some experts say that parents should not use physical punishment for their children. These children are more likely to use similar physical or humiliating actions on others.

If you are using these strategies included in this report and your child is still bullying others, you need to consider going to a guidance counselor for help or advice. You may also have to get professional help for your child outside of school.

By: Nursazella