As a parent, it can be difficult to send your child to school on their own and not know how to protect them from challenges like bullying. Nearly 1 in 5 five students admits to facing some type of bullying by another child and sometimes even by an adult, whether it be in emotional or physical terms. And with so many children now using the Internet for homework, socializing, and entertainment, the threat of cyber bullying is also very real.
The most practical way to help your child deal with bullying is to spend time at home discussing this type of behavior and the reasons behind it. After all, the lessons we teach children at home manifest in much different ways than the education they receive in school. By leading by example, you can give your child the strategies and tools that they may need to handle any form of bullying.
For starters, here are five ways you can help your child deal with bullies in a compassionate manner:
- Share your own experiences with bullies
- Help your child to understand why people bully
- Be careful not to equate bullies with bad people, but do your best to explain that many bullies are actually quite unhappy
- Teach your child tangible ways to deal with bullies, like standing up to the bully with a firm, confident response, or by telling a teacher or an adult in charge
- Put compassion into action by practicing empathy around the household
For more details, see this guide to helping children handle bullying in order to set your child on the right path to solving any challenging social situation at school or online with compassion.
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