Why Bullying Prevention Is Important Every day children encounter bullying—as victims, victimizers, or bystanders. And no matter what role the child plays, the incident can have long-term effects. The Bully Prevention program teaches students how to create safe environments as it explores each role. * Children who are bullied have lower self-esteem and greater incidents of depression, loneliness, and insecurity that can carry into adulthood. For some children, chronic bullying can lead to life- threatening circumstances. The effect of being bullied can be seen as early as kindergarten as negative feelings about school develop, leading to greater risk of dropping out of school. Children who are bullied are not supported by their peers; instead, they blame them for the bullying they endure. * Children who bully also lose. Those who engage in bullying behavior are at greater risk for getting involved in criminal activity and are more likely to perform poorly academically and drop out of school. And studies have shown that as adults they do not do as well job-wise, have lower incomes, and experience more problems with the law. * Bystanders can make a difference. Nearly all bullying incidents involve bystanders, and more than 80 percent of the time, these bystanders reinforce the bullying behavior. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ Tips for Dealing With Bullying Behavior 1. Talk with your child about bullying. Ask your child about bullying behaviors they may have seen or experienced. Help them define what bullying is and let them know you are there to help them in whatever way possible. 2. Encourage your Child to Report Bullying Incidents. Validate your child's feelings by letting him/her know it is normal to feel scared or sad. Let them know they made the right choice by notifying someone of the behavior. STRIKING BACK is NOT acceptable at DBJ and will result in disciplinary actions. 3. Treat the School as an Ally. Share any concerns and specific information about bullying with school personnel. 4.Encourage Your Child to Continue to Talk to You about Bullying. Do not ignore your child's reports. Keeping open lines of communication is one of the most important things you can do for your child. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Some great links: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/SVP%2D0056/ http://www.bam.gov http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/15plus/aboutbullying.asp