Bullying is all too real so here are 5 tips for parents.
School is starting up this month and along with having to meet new teachers, spending a bunch of money on school supplies, new clothes, new shoes and the occasional “I don’t want to go to school” you will have to deal with a fresh new batch of bullies.
Bullying is all too real. Did you know that 25% of public schools report that bullying among kids happens on a daily or weekly basis? And that 1 in 5 high school students report being bullied in the past year?
The good news is that because bullying has made national headlines, schools and communities (and even celebrities) are taking a strong stand against bullying.
You can do your part at home, too. Here are 5 smart strategies to keep kids from becoming targets — and stop bullying that has already started. Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Talk about it. Talk about bullying with your kids and have other family members share their experiences. If one of your kids opens up about being bullied, praise him or her for being brave enough to discuss it and offer unconditional support. Consult with the school to learn its policies and find out how staff and teachers can address the situation.
Remove the bait. If it's lunch money or gadgets that the school bully is after, you can help neutralize the situation by encouraging your child to pack a lunch or go to school gadget-free.
Buddy up for safety. Two or more friends standing at their lockers are less likely to be picked on than a child who is all alone. Remind your child to use the buddy system when on the school bus, in the bathroom, or wherever bullies may lurk.
Keep calm and carry on. If a bully strikes, a kid's best defense may be to remain calm, ignore hurtful remarks, tell the bully to stop, and simply walk away. Bullies thrive on hurting others. A child who isn't easily ruffled has a better chance of staying off a bully's radar.
Don't try to fight the battle yourself. Sometimes talking to a bully's parents can be constructive, but it's generally best to do so in a setting where a school official, such as a counselor, can mediate.
For real confidence and safety an ongoing self-defense program is a choice of many parents. Although it may be easiest for parents to tell kids to ignore the bully, walk away or tell a teacher, that is not always the safest, easiest thing for a child to do. Kids don't want to be in fear of school or other kids. Parents want to make sure their kids are safe. This is often a have/need choice. Kids and parents would rather have their kids know self-defense skills and not need to use then than to not have the skills and someday need them. Because of this we are offering our annual “Bully Prevention Workshop” on Saturday, September 3rd, 2016 at 10am at our martial arts school.
This “Bullyproofing” workshop covers the following.
What is bullying to a child
What you can expect from bullies
What can you do to help your child
How your child can help themselves and each other
This workshop is completely FREE and there are no catches. But if you really want your child to not only be “Bullyproof” but also be “self-confident” a special offer will be made to at the end of the workshop. If this sounds like something you would be interested please go to our workshops page and click on the "CLICK TO REGISTER" button or simply call us at 305-542-5549 to save your spot.
