Parents are learning the truth about bullying.
The first thing you need to know about bullying before you can help your kids get through it is what bullying is NOT.
Examiner.com lists 10 bullying myths for you to be familiar with before you begin addressing the problem with your kids.
Here are 3 from bullying expert Sue Scheff…
Assumption: Bullying is the same thing as conflict.
It’s not. Bullying occurs where there is a power imbalance. One kid has the upper hand, and the kid who is bullied is left to defend him/herself.
Conflict resolution or mediation strategies are sometimes misused to solve bullying problems. These strategies can send the message that both children are “partly right and partly wrong,” or that, “We need to work out the conflict between you.”
Which is definitely not what you want the bullied child to think.
Assumption: Most bullying is physical (involves hitting, shoving, kicking).
Nope, wrong again. Verbal bullying has the same effect as physical bullying – sometimes it’s much more emotionally scarring.
When I was in grade school, kids used to make fun of my name left and right. They made me feel embarrassed of my name. To this day, I’m still hesitant about telling people my full name.
Assumption: Children and youth who are bullied will almost always tell an adult.
Correction: Children and youth who are bullied will almost NEVER tell an adult.
So just because your child isn’t tell you what happened doesn’t mean nothing happened. Be aware of a change in behavior in your child, because kids oftentimes bring school-related problems back home in other forms, especially with a change in behavior.
Check out the other 7 myths at the link below…
Have your kids ever been a victim of bullying? Which kind of bullying? How did you help them go through this tough time? What were some of the noticeable effects of bullying? Share your stories below so that other parents will be able to read and learn!
Bullying: Myths About Bullying And How You Can Help Prevent It [Examiner]
{ 1 trackback }
{ 0 comments… add one now }