What You Can Do If You Suspect Your Child Is Being Bullied

Talking about being bullied may be a difficult thing to do with your child. Here are some suggestions:

• Do not confront the suspected bully or bullies on your own. Your first instinct may be to protect your child and address the suspected bully directly. This may only serve to escalate the situation, and ultimately make things worse for your child.
• Talk to a school administrator about the situation. Remember that the school is responsible for providing your child with a safe learning environment.
• Ask your child what takes place in school, what she does when there is free time, how she has been feeling lately. Talk with your child about her feelings about different aspects of school.
• Role-play with your child and discuss ways he can respond to a bully. Some possibilities might include walking away, telling an adult, or asking for help from peers.
• Teach your child that reporting bullying should not be considered tattling, and that everyone is a victim when the bully is allowed to treat others badly. Let your child know that by reporting bullying, she will get help and support from you and the school staff.
• Encourage your child to talk with friends about bullying. Bullies rarely target children in groups, so maintaining a peer group that is unified may be helpful in avoiding being the target of bullying behavior.
• Ensure appropriate adult supervision at all times. Be aware of your child's involvement in activities inside and outside of school. Make certain that adequate adult supervision is present in every situation.
• Report any incidents of bullying behaviors, even if your child is not the target of such behavior, to school officials. Engage school officials' help in monitoring and addressing these behaviors. This will show your child that you and others are committed to stopping all such behaviors.
• Seek outside help. Addressing bullying behavior and its consequences is a difficult task. Your school's psychologist, counselor, or social worker may be able to offer additional suggestions or work with your child to assist him in dealing with bullies.

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