From name-calling to physical violence, mean jabs, intimidation, cyberbullying, and the likes, bullying is becoming very popular among children and commonly in schools.
Many children have a hard time dealing with bullying and its effects, such as depression, low self-esteem, etc. Here’s what to do if you find out your child is being bullied at school.
Make your child feel safe
Bullying usually puts the victims in a state of fear, and the first step is to make your child feel safe. Take your child away from the situation or environment where the bullying happens.
Reassure your child that they’re safe with you and remind them how much you love them.
Make sure you’re there to tend to all their emotional needs to make them feel comfortable and safe enough to open up.
Listen to your child
Listen to all your child has to say, especially about the bullies and what they have passed through. Don’t shut them out.
Simply listen to what your child has to say and ask questions like how you can help or improve it. Please do your best to make them speak up and tell you all that’s going on.
Get more information
Reach out to other people like friends, other students, teachers, and even the school management to find out what they know about the situation and the things involved. Ask open-ended questions and document the responses from different parties.
Don’t blame your child for getting bullied
Try your best not to blame your child for getting bullied. Do not make your child feel worse than the bullies already did, and don’t make it seem okay that your child is being bullied.
We tend to think it’s normal that people get bullied in school, but don’t pass that message to your child.
Don’t lash out at the bully
It might not be easy to keep yourself from lashing out or retaliating, but it will only cause more drama and take away the matter's attention. Control yourself and do not retaliate.
Teach your child how to handle such situations
Teach your child how to handle such situations in the future. Confidence boosters are a great way to help the child regain confidence and stand up for themselves. Also, teach your child not to be a bully to others.
Report to the school
Review the anti-bullying policies of your child’s school and the state you live in and take legal steps based on those policies. If the issue can be resolved within the school, follow through until it is properly handled.
Get help
It’s not a bad idea to get help if you need to. If the bullying continues, take further action by contacting the school district superintendent or the Board of Education. If the bullying persists, reach out to the North Carolina Department of Education. If your child has learning difficulty, the US Office for Civil Right will be able to help.
Take legal action
If there are no changes, it’s time to reach out to an experienced North Carolina attorney. The Law Office of Neubia L. Harris has extensive experience in education law and can help you get a redress for the situation.