Tips Against Bullying
Bullying at school is a growing problem that has the potential to cause great damage to a child’s confidence and social wellbeing. There may not be any warning signs that your child is being bullied, so ask them if they are being bothered while away from home. Whether battling mental, emotional or physical bullying, your child should be well prepared to protect themselves from the harmful effects of teasing. Here are 10 tips to help your child combat bullying.
Build Confidence – Try no to be considered a target for bullying. Bullies typically prey on those who appear to be smaller or lack self-confidence. No matter what size your child is, help them to radiate confidence, which may in turn deter bullying.
Don’t Be an Unnecessary Target – Sometimes it’s not what you look like that gets you bullied, its what you have. Try not to bring expensive items to school or carry lots of cash around as it may attract unwanted attention.
Don’t Show Your Feelings – Appearing to be affected by bullying may add fuel to the fire for future attacks. Brush off the teasing and leave the situation appearing to be unscathed. Even if the bullying bothers you, don’t give the bully the satisfaction of letting him know that he got under your skin.
Ignore and Walk Away – Simply walking away and avoiding the situation may stop the bullying completely. If you don’t stick around, then they can’t bother you. Practice ways to leave before an altercation starts, as well as ways to escape after it has begun.
Find true friends – There is strength in numbers. Finding a friend who will stand by your side is a great way to avoid teasing. Knowing that someone has your back may build confidence and make it less likely for you to become a target.
Don’t Bully Back – Don’t fight fire with fire. You don’t want to resort to any bully tactics. You know how bad it makes you feel; so don’t try to make anyone else feel that way. Besides, if you turn to teasing someone may mistake you for the bully.
Don’t Pay for friendship – Avoid “friends” who require some type of payment for their friendship. You don’t owe anyone anything so remove the incentives. If someone demands something from you, then you don’t need his or her friendship anyway.
Avoid Bully Places – Most often bullying takes place when you are alone and vulnerable to attacks. Make it harder to be targeted by keeping a mental note of where and when most of the teasing takes place. Don’t be afraid to go places, but be aware of your surroundings.
