Bullying is a common concept these days. Almost every individual must have been bullied at some point in their lives. Bully is someone who uses superior influence or strength to intimidate another and forces to another to do what he or she desires.

Not many people realize but bullying can also happen within the family. Most of the parents believe their teens experience bullying only at school. However, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. There are many kids who are bullied before even stepping into their school life. They may be bullied by their parents, siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.

Bullying within the family may be disappointing for the victim because they’re generally getting bullied by someone whom they love and trust the most. It can be heart-rendering for them when they find their own parents and siblings bullying them at home.

Long Lasting Damage

Bullying within the family can have devastating effects on a child’s mental and physical health. It can severely damage the child’s ability to build friendships based on love and trust. It becomes hard for them to trust people outside their family when they can’t even trust their own family members. Bullying within the family can cause long-lasting damage to the entire family, creating a distance between the family members.

How to Prevent It

The best way to prevent bullying at home is to have an open and frank discussion with the one who’s trying to bully you at home – be it your parent or sibling. Sit down with them and let them know how you feel then they force you to do something against your will. Confronting your parent can be a difficult task but there is no harm in telling them how bullying is negatively affecting you. If you are getting bullied by a sibling, then you should immediately report to your parents so they can tackle your bully sibling. Always attempt to make amends with the family member who’s bullying you. However, if a discussion does not resolve the issue, then you should get seek counseling or advice from an expert. A counselor may be able to help you get out of this situation. The counselor may be an expert from your school or someone from the law enforcement team. You may also avoid bullying at home while developing friendships outside of the family. This will give you more time to share your thoughts with someone else and also keep your mind off the tension at home. Developing your friendships outside of the family home can be a useful way to avoid the bully and put your effort into more productive pursuits.

The best way to deal with bullying is quick intervention. If bullying is not stopped and is continuously overlooked, it can become a serious problem and cause a lot of damage. Therefore, bullying within the family or bullying anywhere can be prevented if stopped at the right time. As a concerned parent, adult or even a friend, you should do whatever you can to help fight bullying and spreading the word around you.