Teach your Kids to Stand Up to their Bullies

It’s summer time!

And with summer, comes ‘extra’ extracurricular summer activities, which means extra opportunities for different types of bullying. Hence the need for making this post.

We all want our kids to have a great, stress-free holiday, but keeping them in an imaginary ‘perfect’ bubble just to ensure that this happens is pretty much unlikely and unrealistic.

So what to do then?

 You’ll definitely agree with me that we have all had to deal with bullies at some point in our lives, in one way or the other. A bully can turn something as simple as going to the playground into a nightmare for kids, leaving deep emotional scars.

Now, even if bullying isn’t an issue for your kids, there’s still need to discuss it so that they are prepared when or if it eventually happens.

That’s why it’s very important to coach your kids on how to react when bullied. They need to understand that bullies would rather pick on kids who won’t stand up for themselves. Instead, they would choose to bully kids who get easily affected by them or take their taunting to heart.

Drawing the line between bullying and teasing

Kids often get teased by others; it could be another sibling, a relative, friend or others. It’s not harmful when done in a friendly or mutual way. But once it becomes hurtful and more frequent with malicious intent, it crosses the line from teasing to bullying and then needs to be stopped.

What can kids do?

Encourage them to know that if they feel unsafe and unable to stand up for themselves, then they should think of available people like a parent, older sibling or teacher, who they really trust and who can support them.

Also, having a supportive group of friends who cheer them on and are trustworthy, will be beneficial, as opposed to frenemies who put them down and joke at their expense.

What can parents do?

Depending on your kid’s personality, some may not be able to stop the bullies right away, but they could get themselves away from it or find someone reliable to talk to about it. 

Here are a few pointers to help;

Listen to them and offer all the support and comfort they need.

Write down incidences as soon as they are reported.

Include the dates, eye witnesses and bullies involved.

Inform the school of any serious incidence that happened in school which they ought to be aware of.

If you’re not satisfied with the school’s response, don’t keep mute. Let them know and proffer a possible solution that is justified.

If the bullying is violent and illegal and nothing is done about it, contact the police ASAP.

As parents, we have an important role to play towards ensuring that bullying is nipped in the bud. By working together with the school, we can prevent bullying and ensure that kids have a safe and successful time in and out of school.

School is out, summer is in, let the bullies beware because buddies will rise.

XOXO

Yours Truly

Nikimandi.