Bullying: A parents guide to help their child

1
BullyingA parents guide to help their child

• Presented by
• Amber Parker - Outreach Worker
• Haley Wikoff - Counselor

2
What Is Bullying?

• Bullying involves repeated acts of physical,
  emotional, or social behavior that are
  intentional, controlling, and hurtful.
• Bullying is defined by a power imbalance between
  the bully and the target.
• A bullys power can be derived from physical
  size, strength, verbal skills, popularity, or
  gender.
• A bullys target feels tormented, helpless, and
  defenseless.
• Bullying can include hitting, name-calling,
  threatening, intimidating, kicking, spreading
  rumors, teasing, pushing, tripping, excluding
  someone from a group, rolling your eyes, or
  destroying someones things.

3
How much Bullying goes on?

• 1998, United States A national study found
  that about 30 of 6th-10th grade students who
  were sampled reported moderate or frequent
  involvement in bullying, as a bully, a victim, or
  both.

4
The stats

• Bullying is a form of abuse, harassment and
  violence. Parents should no longer consider
  bullying just a part of growing up.
• The National Institute of Health reports that in
  the United States bullying affects more than 5
  million students in grades 6 through 11.
• One out of 7 students report being victimized.

5
Is Your Child Being Bullied?

• If your child exhibits one or more of these
  warning signs, he/she may be the victim of
  bullying. Talk with your child to explore
  further whether or not he/she is being bullied
• Withdraws socially, has few or no friends.
• Feels isolated, alone and sad.
• Feels picked on or persecuted.
• Feels rejected and not liked.
• Frequently complains of illness.
• Doesnt want to go to school.
• Brings home damaged possessions or reports them
  lost.
• Cries easily, displays mood swings and talks
  about hopelessness.
• Displays victim body language - hangs head,
  hunches shoulders, avoids eye contact.

6
If You Suspect Your Child Is Being Bullied

• DO
• Make sure your child knows being bullied is not
  his or her fault.
• Let your child know that he or she does not have
  to face being bullied alone.
• Discuss ways of responding to bullies.
• Teach your child to be assertive.
• Tell your child not to react, but to walk away
  and get help if pursued.
• Tell your child to report bullying IMMEDIATELY to
  a trusted adult.
• Contact the school/teacher.

7
If You Suspect Your Child Is Being Bullied

• DONT
• Ask children to solve their own bullying problems
• Advise the bullied child to fight the bully.
• Try to mediate a bullying situation.
• Blame either the victim or the bully.

8
Prevent Your Child From Becoming a VICTIM

• Instill self-confidence in your child.
• Help your child establish good social skills.
• Teach your child to speak out for him or herself.
• Teach your child to seek help, if harassed, from
  you and other caring adults.

9
How do I find out whether my child is BULLYING?

• Warning Signs

10
Your child

• Is aggressive, nasty, spiteful, and generally in
  opposition.
• Has a marked need to dominate or manipulate
  others.
• Seems to like to insult, push around, or tease
  other children.

11
If You Think Your Child Is A Bully

• Bullying is NOT acceptable behavior
• There are penalties for bullying
• Alternative ways to deal with anger and
  frustration.
• Teach and reward more appropriate behavior.
• Help child develop an understanding of the impact
  their bullying has.
• Have child make amends for bullying.
• Seek counseling
• STAY CALM - TRY NOT TO BECOME ANGRY AND DEFENSIVE
  - if contacted by the school.

12
Who Bullies?

• View violence more favorably than most students
  do.
• Often aggressive toward adults, both parents and
  teachers.
• Have a need to dominate and suppress other
  students, to assert themselves by means of force
  and threats, and to get their own way.
• Often hot-tempered, impulsive, and not very
  tolerant of obstacles and frustrations.
• Find it difficult to fit in with rules.
• Appear to be tough and show little sympathy
  toward students who are bullied.
• Are good at talking their way out of difficult
  situations.

13
Prevent Your Child From Becoming A BULLY

• Present yourself as a model of non-violent
  behavior.
• Clearly state that violence is not acceptable.
• Assist your child in finding non-violent
  strategies for anger management and conflict
  resolution.
• Seek help from mental health/school counselors to
  help stop bullying and aggressive behavior.

14
Mark Twain Bullying Prevention Procedures

• Report
• Intervention with Counselor
• Second Incident - Intervention with Principal
• Parent Involvement