What To Do If You Witness Bullying
What to do if you Witness Bullying
If your child witnesses bullying, it is a great time to tell them how they can help to stop it. Children who take a proactive approach to bullying will go long way to stop it from happening again. Make sure your child knows what to do if they see bullying, especially since they can be reluctant to tell an adult about it. The following advice is great for kids who have seen bullying and want to know what to do about it. Openly discussing how to handle the situation if your child witnesses bullying is a good way to give your child positive ways to deal with it.
Your child can probably imagine how they would feel if they were bullied. Most children can understand how much bullying can hurt, and also how hard it is to talk to someone. Make sure they know if they ever witness bullying that it is ok to tell an adult, and is actually the right ting to do. Kids may feel like they cannot tell an adult because the bullying will get worse but normally the bully will never find out and will be stopped. Telling an adult is the best way to stop bullying although there are things your child can do to help as well.
You should encourage your child to tell you, and the teachers or other adults that can help if they witness bullying. Tell your child that you, and all other school officials will be happy to help if they are made aware that a child is being bullied. Make sure your child knows that telling an adult about bullying is not like tattle tailing because bullying is a serious issue. Make sure that your child is not afraid to speak up if they witness bullying.
You should also tell your child that if they witness bullying a good thing to do is to support the child being bullied. Your child will probably be sympathetic towards the child being bullied and standing up for them, or at least spending time with them, will help to alleviate the bullying. You should not force your child to do so, but make sure they know that it is a good way to make a difference.
Your child should only stand up to a bully if they feel comfortable doing so. If your child witness bullying, make sure they know that they should stand up to the bully calmly and show them that their actions are not cool or funny. If your child does not feel comfortable doing this, make sure they know that it is ok as well. Sometimes it is best to just ignore the bullying attempts they witness and encourage the victim to do so as well.
Kids that witness bullying can do a lot to stop it by getting involved. Kids that witness bullying should not put themselves in the position to get bullied, rather notify an adult right away and if they feel comfortable doing so stand up for the bullying victim. Most kids will be willing to help in this way, especially if it is a friend who is being bullied.
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