If you suspect your child is being bullied, please contact your child's teacher. If bullying is persistent and further action is necessary, your child's school counselor may intervene as well as the principal.
Reactions to Avoid
When children choose to tell their parents about bullying, parents might have one of the three responses.
1. Tell their child to stand up to the bully
2. Tell their child to ignore and avoid the bully
3. Take matters into their own hands
What Every Parent Should Say to Kids About School Safety
(N.C. Center for Safer Schools, 2013)
- Explain the facts about school safety and the steps schools are taking.
- Explain the odds.
- Explain that everyone has a responsibility for making schools safe- even children.
- Explain that violence is not an acceptable solution.
- Ask questions about how your child feels about his or her school's safety.
- For more information visit N.C. Center for Safer Schools
Common Views and Myths about Bullying
(PACER CENTER, 2011)
- "Words will never hurt you."
Fact: No child's behavior justifies being hurt or harmed in any manner. All children deserve to be treated with respect and consideration.
- "Telling a teacher about bullying is tattling."
Fact: Children need to know the difference between tattling and telling. Tattling is done to get someone in trouble, telling is done to protect someone. The secrecy of bullying only serves to protect the bully and perpetuate the behavior.
- " Bullying will make kids tougher."
Fact: Bullying does not make someone tougher. Research has shown it often has the opposite effect and lowers a child's sense of self-esteem and self-worth. Bullying often creates fear and increases anxiety for a child.
- "Bullying is easy to recognize."
Fact: Physical bullying, such as hitting, kicking, and fighting, is easy to recognize since this type of behavior is overt. It is the covert bullying such as shunning, alienating, and leaving children out on purpose- that is much harder to detect.
- "Bullying is a natural part of childhood."
Fact: There is nothing natural about being bullied. Bullying is often considered a normal part of childhood because it is such a common experience. Physical or emotional aggression towards others should not be tolerated as a normal part of childhood.