Should You Step in to Help if Your Child is Being Bullied?

If you have a child, it’s very likely that at some point in your life you’ve had to deal with bullies. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to help, and doing things the wrong way can often cause more damage than doing nothing at all.  So how can you help your children handle the school bully, and when do you need to step in?

Parents first instinct is to immediately step in and protect their child from the bullies.  However, this is not the best course of action.  Your child needs to learn how to handle bullying behavior, as it does not stop in school.

The first thing that you need to do is praise your child for telling you about bullies that are affecting him or her.  This can take great courage, as your child might blame him or herself for the bully’s actions, or think that they instigated it in some way.

Next, you need to tell your child to avoid the bully and to use the buddy system when they are in areas where bullies might be.  It is also important to teach your child not to react to bullies, as fear and anger are exactly what bullies want.  Tell your child to walk away from bullies, and, if necessary, to get an adult.

How do you know if you need to step in with your child and bullies?  If you have serious concerns about physical harm, then you need to take action.  One possibility is to speak with the bully’s parents.  Another is to check out your local laws concerning bullies, as you might have legal recourse.