Bullying in a corporate environment is one thing, when everyone is a grownup who can deal with things for themselves, but what do you do when bullying is affecting the wellness and wellbeing of your own child?
Many parents think that when their child is being bullied, they are really powerless and there is nothing they can do to improve the situation, but this is simply not the case.
The first and most important thing to do is to talk to your child about the bullying situation. This will teach them about what is acceptable behaviour and what is not, and this will enable them to learn both what is happening when they are being bullied, and also what behaviour they might exhibit which can be classified as bullying.
If your child is being bullied you can have a sit down with your child and brainstorm ways to help the bully stop picking on them. First of all, it is worth trying to stand up to the bully (not physically) and tell the bully to stop in a clear and calm way. Bullies don’t expect people to stand up to them and this show of confidence may be enough for them to leave your child alone. Your child could also try using humour to diffuse the situation (but not at the expense of themselves or the bully). They can also always try walking away from a difficult situation, and can try staying near adults in the playground, or staying with their friends. Children should also be taught that they should always report bullying to a trusted adult such as their parent or a school teacher, as too many children suffer in silence.
There are also situations when adult intervention is entirely appropriate, such as when bullying is prolonged, vicious, physical or is distressing to a child.
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