Health & Fitness
How Do You Explain Bullying To Your Child?
You don't want to make your child overly sensitive, but you don't want them to be a push over. Here is an easy way to shape your conversation.
An important realization for parents to make is that physical bullying accounts for less that 3% of the bullying that occurs in schools. The other 97% is psychological. It’s vital that parents take the time to clearly define bullying to their children as being anything that is done repetitively and with intention that makes children feel scared, pressured or down on themselves.
What at times may seem innocent or “typical kid” behaviors that parents grew up with are actually the small seeds of how bullying starts. A onetime comment or occurrence may be deemed rude, but it is not accurate to immediately label that as bullying. I have found that when working with children the “Rule of Three” is an easy to follow guide. By the third time someone has engaged in the behavior (repetitively) despite being asked to stop (intentional) this is bullying. Consistent name calling, teasing, excluding a child from a group etc. are all examples of bullying behavior.
We will be doing our part as parents to; set a strong example, talk through appropriate and inappropriate social habits and make sure your child is able to recognize when normal interaction among peers starts to turn into bullying behavior. As always, this investment of time in conversation with your child, almost more than anything, will ensure a strong, confident response that will allow your child to stay safe even in the presence of bullies.