Chances are your teen is getting different advices from different sources on dealing with the pandemic of bullying in schools. Unfortunately, some of the things they may be picking up are far from helpful. Considering the potential impact of the threat on your child’s life, it’s imperative that you have a positive influence on them by helping them find solutions for bullying understand them.

Start from the Basics

Don’t assume that your teen is already familiar with bullying and has a clear understanding of it. Start explaining the threat right from the top, starting from its definition, prevalence and implications to how to prevent bullying. If they’re already experiencing it, they may be feeling isolated and guilty for bringing it upon themselves. Help them overcome this incorrect notion.

Assure Them of Your Support

Bullying can be a traumatic experience for your kid. They may struggle to make it through the ordeal on their own. Make sure you’re both physically and emotionally there for them by keeping the lines of communication open. Check on them regularly to know how their day went so that you may know if things are not going smoothly in their lives. If they seem upset about something, don’t force them to talk about it. Instead, be patient and wait for them to approach you when they’re ready to talk about it.

Discuss Online Safety with Them

Technology, especially internet and the social networking websites have become an important part of kids’ lives. Unfortunately, it is also immensely popular among bullies. Talk to your child about online safety and what they can do to avoid becoming easy targets for bullies. Advise them against sharing their passwords even with their closest friends, making them realize how vulnerable it may leave them. Furthermore, tell them to say only those things online that they’re comfortable saying in real life. Also, discourage them from sharing their personal information online.

Give the Right Advice

It is extremely important to ensure that your teen is equipped with the right bully-proofing skills. Avoid communicating wrong messages such as “bullying is a normal part of growing up, so deal with it”, “just ignore the bully and they’ll go away”, or “I’ll take care of everything”. Bullying is neither a normal part of growing up, it doesn’t disappear by simply ignoring the problem, and you should avoid taking matters into your own hands, leaving your kid feel as weak and useless as ever. Teach them to stand up to the bully and speak up. If the bullying doesn’t stop, advise them to report the situation to an adult such as parents or school administrations. Discourage them from beating the bully; though let them know that it’s okay to defend themselves. Also instill intolerance for bullying in your teen so that they act to stop it even if they are merely witnesses to it.

Having a talk on bullying with your kid can provide them with the best possible guidance on dealing with the issue. The threat doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, which is why it’s best to equip your child with the most appropriate set of bully-proofing skills so that they may have a chance against it.