I recently came across an image about a classroom lesson on bullying that I wanted to share. I am not sure who the teacher was that developed this anti-bullying lesson; however, I think that it is a great hands on lesson about the effect which bullies have on their victims. I thought that I would share this image with my readers so that you may share this lesson with other children and adults who work with children.
If you suspect your child or a child you know is a victim of bullying, I recommend taking the following steps:
Make sure the child knows that being bullied is not their fault. They DO NOT deserve it!
Coax the child to tell you about their experience. Listen! Do not judge! Remind them they are very brave for sharing this situation.
Contact the child's school principal, counselor, or school psychologist to tell them about the bullying.
Brainstorm with the child the name or names of an adult they can confide in at school when they are bullied or feel threatened.
If the bullying is causing the child emotional distress, seek out a psychologist or a therapist to get professional support for the emotional consequences of bullying.
If you're concerned about cyberbullying -- you may need to install parental control software to check your child's online activities and let them know you have the right to check their activities at anytime.
Have computers in visible places in your home so you can watch their online activity.
Provide support to help your child build skills in making friends, being assertive, problem-solving, and building confidence and emotional control.
Don’t overreact to a negative situation. This reduces disclosure by kids. Don’t call the police unless there is a threat of violence or other harm. Don’t call the other child’s parent as a first response because it often intensifies the bullying. Brainstorm how your child can assertively address the situation without retaliating.
If there are concerns about children posting negative messages about your child on the internet, set an alert that will tell you via e-mail when key terms appear on the internet. You can do this by going to www.google.com/alert and follow the instructions. Type: “set an alert” into the search field, then go ahead.
Helping your child handle a bullying situation is never easy; however, there are a number of online resources which you may want to consult to guide you in this situation:
www.wiredsafety.org advertises itself as “the world’s largest safety and help group”. It has a great deal of information for parents and educators regarding internet safety.
www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov There are handouts for kids and parents as well as on-line games for kids to learn about bullying.
www.bullying.org This is an awesome website for on-line courses, bullying awareness week activities, PSA’s, poems, games, community solutions, multimedia submissions from kids, and anti-bullying pledge.
Related articles
Talking To Your Kids About Bullying (tampa.cbslocal.com)
Is Your Child a Bully? (stlouis.cbslocal.com)
Prevent Your Child From Being Bullied This School Year (stlouis.cbslocal.com)
Bullying of Children With Disabilities - Postscript II (specialeducationlawblog.blogspot.com)
The Warning Signs Of Bullying (dfw.cbslocal.com)
