“Just Say No to Bullying”
Conflict is an
inevitable part of childhood, and not all conflict is harmful or bad. Constructive conflict helps children to
learn, grow, and change for the better.
They become more open-minded and tolerant, and they learn to see things
from other perspectives. Bullying,
however, is destructive conflict. It is
an abuse of power intended to hurt or humiliate another person. It is generally purposeful, imbalanced and
continual. The National Mental Health
and Education Center reports that direct, physical bullying increases in
elementary school, peaks in middle school, and declines in high school. Unfortunately, it looks like the worst is
yet to come.
Classroom guidance
lessons deal with a variety of subjects.
Bullying is an area that is covered in different ways at each grade
level. The lessons focus on teaching
students how to respond to bullying and how to avoid being a target of this
negative behavior. I would like to
share some ways that you, as parents, can help your child deal with this “peer
abuse.”
1.
1.
Encourage
your child to talk to you about any bullying or harassment he may be
experiencing. He may not volunteer this
information; you may need to ask directly.
2.
2.
Encourage
your child to participate in clubs or activities both in and out of
school. Besides exposing them to new
friends, it will build their self-esteem.
3.
3.
Praise
and encourage your child. A
self-confident child is less likely to be bullied.
4.
4.
Teach
your child to be assertive rather than aggressive or violent when confronted by
a bully. Instruct him to walk away and
get help from an adult.
5.
5.
Never
blame your child if he has been a victim of bullying.
6.
6.
Build
a relationship with your child’s teachers and administrators. Keep an open line of communication. The more we work together to help your child
feel confident and help them to build positive, caring friendships, the more
success we will have in reducing the number of bullying incidents.
Sincerely,
Katie Haig
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