FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES
WHAT TO DO IF A CHILD IS BEING BULLIED!
WHAT IS BULLYING?
Bullying among children is aggressive behavior that is intentional and that
involves an imbalance of power
or strength. A child who is being bullied has a hard time defending himself
or herself. Bullying can take
many forms, such as: hitting and/or punching (physical bullying); teasing or
name-calling (verbal bullying);
intimidation through gestures or social exclusion (nonverbal bullying or
emotional bullying); and sending
insulting messages by phone or computer e-mail (cyber bullying). Usually,
bullying is repeated over
time. Many children, particularly boys and older children and youth, do not
tell their parents or adults at
school about being bullied. It is important that adults are vigilant to
possible signs of bullying.
WARNING SIGNS
Possible warning signs that a child is being bullied:
• Comes home with torn, damaged, or missing pieces of clothing, books, or
other belongings
• Has unexplained cuts, bruises, and scratches
• Has few, if any friends, with whom he or she spends time
• Seems afraid of going to school, walking to and from school, riding the
school bus, or taking
part in organized activities with peers (such as clubs)
• Takes a long, “illogical” route when walking to or from school
• Has lost interest in school work or suddenly begins to do poorly in school
• Appears sad, moody, teary, or depressed when he or she comes home
• Complains frequently of headaches, stomach aches, or other physical
ailments
• Has trouble sleeping or has frequent bad dreams
• Experiences a loss of appetite
• Appears anxious and/or suffers from low self-esteem
EFFECTS OF BULLYING
Bullying can have serious consequences. Children and youth who are bullied
are more likely than
other children to:
• Be depressed, lonely, anxious
• Have low self-esteem
• Be absent from school
• Feel sick
• Think about suicide
REPORTING BULLYING TO PARENTS
Children frequently do not tell their parents that they are being bullied
because they are embarrassed,
ashamed, frightened of the children who are bullying them, or afraid of
being seen as a “tattler.” If
your child tells you about being bullied, it has taken a lot of courage to
do so. Your child needs your
help to stop the bullying.
