Bullying – How to Deal
Author: Shannon Miller Lifestyle
Bullying is, unfortunately, something our kids may deal with at some point.
Bullying comes in many forms.
- It could be physical bullying which can involve physically hurting someone or making someone do something that they don’t want to do.
- Another form is verbal bullying, like name-calling or teasing.
- And a final route, common in girls, is relational bullying which can involve spreading rumors or refusing to talk to someone.
So, whether your child is currently being bullied or you just want them to be prepared for a potential incident, share the following tips with them; they’ll surely benefit.
Respond Immediately
- Walk away and show the bully that they don’t have control of you or your emotions; ultimately, control is what they want.
- If walking away is not an option for whatever reason, do what you need to protect yourself.
- Tell an adult (i.e. a parent, a teacher, a coach) about being bullied; you shouldn’t have to deal with it alone.
Adjust the way you look at the situation
- Focus on what you can control. You can’t control other people’s behavior, but you can control how you react to other people’s behavior.
- Find the humor in it. Bullying is a rather immature way to handle others – kind of humorous if you really think about it. If you are approached by a bully and respond by identifying the humor in the situation, the bully may not find it very fun to target you anymore; they ultimately want their bullying to bother the other person.
- Don’t let it define you. There are probably a number of positive things going on in your life – keep these things in your focus.
Taking Action
- Share how you feel with a friend, parent, counselor, coach, etc. This may not change the situation, but it may help you to see the situation differently. And it’s always better talk things out than to keep them bottled up inside.
- Increase your sense of self-confidence by taking time to do things that you are good at (i.e. hobbies) and by doing things that allow you to invest in yourself, like exercise. Exercise is a great way to increase positive feelings – as well as to relieve stress.
- Don’t dwell on it. Try not to repeat the bullying experience over and over again in your mind. Instead, decide how you will not allow it to happen again and do what is right for you in order to move on.
TIP: Encourage your child that they have what it takes to deal with a bully. Give them all the love and support that they need!
Source: “Dealing with Bullying and Cyber-bullying”, HelpGuide.