BullyingHow To Recognize &

Prevent it From Happening To Your Child

Before It Is Too Late

Target audience: Parents of bullies

What is Bullying? Definition:

Bullying is when a person or group repeatedly tries to harm someone who is weaker or who they think is weaker

Bullying is often thought of as a direct attack such as hitting, name calling, taunting, and teasing, but it also includes indirect attacks such as spreading rumors or trying to make others reject someone.

What is indirect bullying often called?

Bullying Facts Approximately one of three students report they

have experienced bullying either as a perpetrator or a victim

Being picked on about speech and appearance were the most common topics associated with bullying

70% – 80% of bullies and victims are in the same school classroom

Bullying reportedly decreases from fall of 6th grade to spring of 8th grade Potential reasons?

Which gender is more likely to be a bully, male or female? What about victims?

*http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids/what-is-bullying.aspx

Forms of BullyingPhysical/Verbal

Bullying Punching shoving, and other

acts that physically cause harm

Spreading rumors about another person

Keeping certain people out of a group

Teasing in a hurtful way Getting certain peers to gang

up on other peers Being belittled about looks or

speech

Electronic/Cyber Bullying

Sending mean text messages, emails, or instant messages

Posting inappropriate pictures or messages about others in blogs or on websites

Using someone else’s user name to spread rumors or lies about someone

The effects of physical/verbal bullying

Victims Increased loneliness Difficulty developing

friendships Bullies and victims

Higher risk of experiencing depression

Suicidal ideation Suicide attempts More health problems Lower academic

achievement

Activity: How can you prevent your child from being a bully?

What you can do as a parent of the bully?

Monitor your child’s behavior with friends at home and in the community

Keep in touch with school staff and ask about your child’s behavior at school

Model appropriate behaviors for your children Talk to other parents at school about your children Have a direct conversation about bullying and let

your child know the harmful effects of bullying

Activity: What can you do as a parent of a victim?

What can you do as the parent of the Victim?

Spend time with your child and ask them about their school day and if they were bullied

Tell your child they can be open and honest with you Pay attention to signs of loneliness or depression Monitor your child’s school attendance and

achievement Seek help for your child if they are being bullied (ex.

Counseling) Ask your school about school based intervention

programs Ex. Dan Olweus

Dan Olweus’s Intervention Program Goal of the program is to decrease bullying Program focuses on children between 6 and 15

years of age School staff are taught ways to make children feel

safer and increase positive peer interaction When done correctly, bullying decreases by 30%-

70% www.colardo.edu/espv/blueprints

How does cyber-bullying affect your child?

The Bully Cyber bullies have higher

rates of anxiety, depression, and school absences compared to children who are not involved with bullying

The Victim Students have indicated

that cyber-bullying makes them feel sad and unwilling to attend school

Cyber bully victims have the highest rates of anxiety, depression, and school absences compared to children that have not been involved in cyber bullying

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE5yINOn4N4

How YOU can help stop cyberbullying

Explain to your child that bullying is harmful and an unacceptable behavior. Outline your expectations for them this includes appropriate behavior and responsible online use. Make it clear there will be consequences for inappropriate behavior.

Make an agreement with your children to keep all internet capable devices out of their bedrooms (age appropriate)

Talk regularly with your child about online activities that he or she is involved in

Install a parent control filtering software/monitoring programs on your computer but DO NOT rely solely on these programs

Talk about bullying with your child and encourage them to tell you immediately if they are the victim of any type of bullying If it is cyber bullying explain to them that you will not take

their technology if they confide in you about the problems they are having

*http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adults/cyber-bullying.aspx

Summary Bullying can be harmful to children. Bullying can

decrease your child’s health and hurt their academic performance

Children are likely involved in some sort of bullying whether they are the victim or the perpetrator

Bullying can occur directly in forms such as physical or verbal aggression or it can be indirect through spreading rumors and excluding others

Stop bullying before it is too late Talk to your children Talk to your school and community

Additional resources Santrock, J. W. (2011) Life-span development (13th ed.).

New York, NY: Mc-Graw Hill Companies, Inc.

http://attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/schools/bullquesti.shtml

http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids/what-is-bullying.aspx

http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adults/cyber-bullying.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE5yINOn4N4