What to do if my child is being bullied?

Unfortunately, bullying is not uncommon. 1 in 4 children reported they were bullied a lot or always according to The Anti Bullying Alliance.

So, what can you do if your child is being bullied?

1. Make sure they know to ask for help

Making sure your child knows they can ask for help is the first step in helping them deal with bullying.

It’s likely that your child has a person they feel most comfortable talking to whether it’s you or a teacher or a grandparent, letting them know that talking about what is happening will not only help them feel better but will also mean that you can help figure out ways to deal with it.

Don’t forget to remind them that you “Ask for help not because you are weak but because you want to remain strong” – Les Brown.

2.Encourage them to exercise

This might not immediately sound like something that can help with bullying, but exercising can help us feel more confident. Whether it’s because we feel stronger or faster, exercising can help a child focus on positives.

Exercising in groups or academies also provides an opportunity for children to socialise in an environment away from the bullying they’re facing and hopefully form positive friendships.

3.Help them stayed focused

Helping your child to stay focused on the things which positively benefit them and deter them from focusing on the bullying will be extremely important to help them navigate this time in their life.

It is important that, in spite of the bullying, your child continues with hobbies, schoolwork, socialisation to ensure that when the bullying ends (and one day it will) that it has not impacted their future.

4.Teach them to never give up

It can be hard to not give up in the face of bullying, especially when it can have a negative impact on self-esteem and confidence but learning that no matter what you face to never give up, is a really important skill for children to have.

You will find that as they learn to never give up, they will apply this perseverance to so many other tasks throughout their life.

5. Give them the skills to stand up for themselves

Giving your child the skills to stand up for themselves doesn’t mean encouraging them to respond with violence or retaliate to bullying.

Instead, it means giving them confidence to say no, report bullying or even provide them with the self-defence skills they need to protect themselves against physical attacks.

If you’d like to chat with our teaching team about how our tuition can help your child with bullying, get in touch!

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