Bullying can be said to be an act of repeated behavior which is aggressive carried out with the intention of deliberately hurting another person. This can be both in the physical and mental form. Many kids are unaware of what constitutes bullying and therefore are unsure on how to react. In fact, it is also equally important for adults to know how to deal with bullies that they may face in the world around them. If you are a parent looking to create some awareness about bullying in your children, this is the article for you to read.
Firstly, as parents, it is responsible for you to educate your children about bullying by explaining to them the causes and effects of bullying. Additionally, you could also teach them some prevention techniques so they can be better prepared when faced with a bully. It may help to sit with your children and read books or watch some programmes and movies which feature bullying as well as how it was dealt with. Children who are bullied may feel that something is not right with them. It is important to reassure them that this is not the case. Instead, bullies act as such because they feel weak and insecure. As such, they engage in bullying to overcome this inferior feeling.
Discuss with children the ways in which they can work around the bullies. Children should be taught to avoid them when they come in contact with bullies. Children should be taught never to go in direct contact with bullies to prevent provocation. Parents can also discuss with their children on how to prevent contact with these bullies. Children can be prompted to think about ways in which they can avoid the bully and how to react when being bullied. For instance, children can be taught to show minimal reaction to bullying. It is important not to show the bully that the child gets hurt if something uncomfortable is done to them.
Children can be enrolled in self-defense classes like Martial Arts and Karate. These skills can be used as self-protection in case needed. Such skills also help boost confidence in children. However, at the same time, they should be taught not to fight back just because they are equipped with self-defense skills.
It definitely will take time for children to cope effectively with bullies. However, if parents educate them sufficiently on this subject, they will be able to handle this to some extent. Parents can also discuss with a psychologist, counselor or teachers about how to prevent their children from being bullied. If the bullying takes place in school, the school authority can then deal with the bully and protect the safety of the child.
