Is Your Child Bullying Someone?

So many of us are concerned about kids who are bullied -- and we should be. But what about the kid who's doing the bullying? There's cause for concern here too. Did you know that kids who bully are at greater risk for getting in trouble with the law later in life? They're also at risk for school failure, troubled relationships and substance abuse.

What can you do if you suspect your child might be bullying? According to StopBullyingNow, "Requests to aplogize, self-esteem building, asking why, pleading, and expressions of frustration are unlikely to help and may make things worse. Here's what they recommend you do instead . . .

Ask Useful Questions:

- What did you do"
- Why was that a bad thing to do?
- Who did you hurt?
- What were you trying to accomplish?
- Next time you have that goal, how can you meet it without hurting anybody?

(from StopBullyingNow)

Additionally, it's important to help kids who bully gain empathy, conscience, and a sense of responsibility for their actions. If your child is bullying someone, let him know how it makes you feel, and then talk together about how he can make amends. Ask, "What can you do to make up for the pain you've caused?" Then, hold your child accountable and make sure he follows through. By doing so you'll be helping him and the child he's been hurting.

What Do You Think? Since it's so hard to leave comments on this blog site, drop me a line at Naomi@LearningPeace.com. I look forward to hearing from you!