Parent To Parent: Advice Respond To The Issue Of Bullying

The Impact of Bullying

Written by

Michael A. Robinson

Over the past several months Education: The Natural Bridge (ETNB) has conducted a national survey regardng the impact of bullying on the academic performance of students. The early data reveals that parents and school administrators consider bullying a significant factor in the performance of some students. As part of our research we asked respondents: What advice would you offer to parents and families who are experiencing bullying?

The responses were amazing and can serve as a guide for best practices on how to reach a solution to a child's bullying nightmare. Here a few of the more interesting suggestions:

1. Exhaust all avenues to stop the bullying. Build your child's self esteem . Enroll your child in activities or sports in a neighboring community so he/she can have fresh start with a new group of children. Get professional help so the child can have someone to confide in. Children sometimes worry about upsetting their parents and don't reveal what is really happening to them.
2. Know your childrens' friends and their parents. Encourage your child to speak up about bullying and encourage their friends to stand up for one another when bullying occurs. Report any bullying to the school authorities.
3. Become an active parent during lunch and recess if you can. Work with the teachers.
4. Be proactive about the situation rather than reactive. During the early signs of bullying, nip the situation in the bud by contacting school officials and even further if neccessary to assure your child does not remain a victim of bullying. Encourage open discussion with your children, but often times they keep situations like these to themselves and suffer in silence. Ask plenty questions, and assure them you can be trusted with the informaiton they give you. A lot of children don't believe that parents can help the situation...they believe the the situation will get worse by bringing light to it...so open conversation is imperative. Finally, and possibly most importantly, encourage your schools to develop anti-bullying programs/strategies for their schools.
5. Confront it immediately with officials. Insist on a positive resolution for your child, as well as the other child.
   
   

What are your thoughts on bullying and the impact on children? Please take our survey.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=3cOgeaZM3yeY1stUp2c5Sw_3d_3d