How to recognize and stop bullying — tips from AboutKidsHealth
GUEST BLOG - Jessica Fishbein, AboutKidsHealthWhether on the playground, in the classroom or on social media, bullying can take on many forms. Adults must be able to recognize the signs of bullying and know how to stop it. Without proper intervention, bullying can affect a child’s self-esteem, learning, and general safety and well-being.
To coincide with Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week, which runs from November 19 — 25 in Ontario schools, AboutKidsHealth has shared information for parents and caregivers on why a child may bully others, and how to identify and stop different types of bullying.
What is bullying?
Bullying is intentional and repeated mean behaviour. A bully is looking to hurt the person that they are bullying, and often gathers a group of children to bully one person. Bullies hold more power than those they bully — for instance, they could be older or physically taller and stronger than those they target.
Bullying can come in many forms, including physical, social and cyber bullying.
Physical bullying can include:
• pushing, hitting, or kicking
• breaking someone’s things
• teasing, insulting and making fun of people
• threatening to hurt someone.
Social bullying can include:
• spreading rumours
• breaking up friendships
• purposely excluding or telling people not to be friends with someone.
Cyber bullying can include:
• photographing someone without permission; posting mean photos and messages on social media
• sending mean e-mails, text messages, or messages on social media.
Other forms of bullying include racial/ethnic or sexual bullying.
Without proper intervention, bullying can affect a child’s self-esteem, learning, and general safety and well-being.
What are signs and symptoms of bullying?
If your child is being bullied, they may show some of the following changes in their behaviour and/or emotions:
• not wanting to go to school or participate in extracurricular activities
• becoming anxious and fearful
• becoming irritable and over-reactive
• low self-esteem
• lower academic performance
• difficulty sleeping and other sleep problems, including nightmares and bedwetting.
The following signs may indicate a child is using power aggressively to bully others:
• does not show concern for how their behaviour affects those around them
• becomes frustrated and angry easily
• acts aggressively with siblings, parents, teachers, friends and animals
• is demanding and manipulative towards others
• has unexplained items and extra money; is secretive about their belongings and activities.
Why do children bully?
Bullying is often a learned behaviour. Children who bully may think that they can use power and aggression to control others because they have experienced power and aggression from family members, friends, teachers or coaches. Many bullies model behavior after their parents, who may yell, hit or reject them in some way to demonstrate power and aggression. A bully may also have parents who model power and aggression towards each other, or have a sibling that bullies them at home.
How to prevent bullying
It is important for children who are bullied to report bullying. Parents need to show an interest in their child’s experiences so their child feels comfortable telling them if they are being bullied.
Children who are bullied need protection from not only their bullies, but also the bystanders who enable the bullying by watching or joining in. It is crucial for children who are bullied to be supported by their parents, teachers and peers at school, and other adults in their lives.
If a child is being bullied, they should be taught ways to anticipate bullying so they are prepared to either address or avoid their bullies entirely. It is also beneficial for children who are bullied to be put in situations where they can make new friends.
AboutKidsHealth is SickKids’ patient-education website and features more than 3,500 articles on a range of paediatric health topics. For more information on how to stop bullying and other topics, please visit www.aboutkidshealth.ca.
