Bullies in School
|
Posted by Heidi Shelton-Jenck Dec 29, 2006 |
Bullies are just a fact of life, right? Many parents and educators are saying NO. The principal of my son’s school received a grant to create a no-bullies culture into the school community. Your child’s school may also be looking bullies in the eye and saying - not here, not now.
Schools that talk about bullying have fewer tormented kids. Schools that involve parents, and create school-wide programs see a dramatic decrease in bullying behaviors. Some things that seem to be working at my son’s school are:
- Acknowledging that bullying is a serious problem.
- Teaching staff, kids and parents what bullying is and who is involved in bullying behavior.
- Providing school staff with effective words and actions to use with bullies, their parents, and the children who are bullied.
- Determining consequences for bullies who are disrespectful and defiant.
- Providing tweens - who often don’t want to report bullying behavior to parents or other adults - safe places to get the help they need.
Signs that your child may be the victim of a bully include:
- lack of enthusiasm when invited to attend school or social events with other kids
- reluctance to go to school – and an unwillingness to explain why
- heightened anxiety
- difficulty sleeping
- depression
- personal items come home from school damaged
- sudden loss of friends
If your tween will talk to you about bullying, seek help. If your child’s school won’t help, check out these two helpful articles as a starting point:
School Bullies: Protect your child from school bullies
Parent’s Primer on school bullying
Then, talk to the principal of your child’s school. If they won’t face this issue, try someone at the district office. Bullying is something all schools should be talking about and dealing with.
Take the POLL---has your child been bullied?