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Parents: What You Need To Know

Teenage Girl Being Bullied By Text Message.jpg

Types of bullying

  • Physical: hitting, punching, shoving, spit on

  • Verbal: calling names, teasing, laughing, hurtful words, manipulation, subject of rumors

  • Being excluded on purpose, isolation, ignoring, damaging property, stealing books/homework

  • Cyber bullying: posting embarrassing pictures/videos on social media, mean comments on social media, forums, texts, apps.
     

Warning signs of bullying

  • Keeping to themselves more often

  • Unexplainable injuries

  • Frequently complaining of being sick or having headaches

  • Skipping meals

  • Declining grades

  • Avoiding social situations

  • Depression and/or anxiety

  • Talking about harming themselves
     

How to help your child if they are bullied

  • Drop what you’re doing and listen to them and believe them

  • Give ideas on how to respond to bullies

  • Ask them what they want to feel safe

  • Assure them that it’s not their fault

  • Get the school involved ASAP

  • DO NOT tell them to ignore it or physically fight back

  • DO NOT blame your child for being bullied
     

What to do if your child is the bully

  • Let them firmly know that bullying will not be tolerated

  • Set boundaries/rules and stick to them

  • Try to figure out the root cause of their bullying (some do it to “fit in” or they act out because something else is going on)

  • Ask the school to help/get involved

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