There is no shortage of hurdles facing parents today, but fortunately, there are also great resources! One such challenge is bullying. Let’s take time to create a fresh set of resources to support parents teaching kids about bullying.

kids about bullying. We have a new world, new connections, and new ways to insert ourselves into people’s lives. There are great aspects to that. But, like every great thing, it can and will be twisted by people who want to bring pain to others. There have always been and will always be bullies. Clearly, we can’t defeat them by staying static in our thinking. Together, let’s ReThink our approach to bullying.

We illuminate the impact by looking at the statistics. In particular, the impact on the mental health of our kids. We will also share practical ways to teach children how to recognize bullying behaviors, actions they can take to repel bullies. No matter how old your kids are, it’s never too late to help them navigate these waters.

Basics of Bullying

Being mean is not bullying, even pushing someone around is not necessarily bullying. Obviously, if we want to teach kids to see it clearly, they need to know what it is. Bullying is created by a perceived power imbalance. It is not a one-off or a blowing off of steam. It is repetitive behavior and according to stopbullying.gov, it creates serious and long-lasting problems for victims and the bully.

The Effects of Bullying on Kids

• About 20% of students ages 12-18 experience bullying nationwide.
• Nationwide, 19% of students in grades 9–12 report experienced bullying on school property in the 12 months prior to the survey.
• Among students ages 12-18 who reported being bullied at school during the school year, 15 % were bullied online or by text.
• An estimated 14.9% of high school students were electronically bullied in the 12 months prior to the survey.
• One-third of the globe’s youth is bullied; this ranges from as low as 7% in Tajikistan to 74% in Samoa.
• https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/facts

Bullying and Mental Health

• Experience of bullying and cyberbullying are also associated with the development of low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, family problems, academic difficulties, delinquency, school violence, and suicidal thoughts/attempts (Hinduja, 2018)
• Approximately 1 in 5 children and youth in the US experience serious mental health concerns associated with trauma, social isolation, and bullying, yet only 20% of them receive the help they need (CDC, 2019)
• Students who experienced bullying or cyberbullying are nearly 2 times more likely to attempt suicide (Hinduja & Patchin, 2018). *note: the CDC warns against directly connecting suicide and bullying. Here is the article
• https://www.meganmeierfoundation.org/statistics

The numbers are clear. If we aren’t teaching our kids about bullying, they may end up being statistics themselves. For this reason, let’s find some innovative and practical ways to help them avoid this kind of abuse.

How to Teach Young Kids to Recognize Bullies.

Young children aren’t hardwired to look for motivations. It’s our job as parents to actively guide them to see what people are doing and determine if it’s coming from a good place or not. Moreover, we can help them see that not all actions are equal. Here is a great worksheet by weareteachers.com that will help you teach your children the difference between friends and bullies. It’s a great tool.

We can continue to teach our kids about bullying by talking about what they encounter every day. Almost every day has a teaching moment to help you speak wisdom into your children about how others’ actions affect them and the people they know. Additionally, you can share what happens in your own family. Bullying isn’t something that only happens at school. Even kind hearts can bully people. Similarly, we can help them see that they can bully people without thinking about it. Taking time when they are young to explain bullying will help them understand more about themselves and others. Self-Awareness is always a good thing.

What If You Missed Teaching About Bullying In Early Childhoodod?

If there is one thing parents need to hear, we can’t do it all. Things fall through the cracks, and sometimes it’s catastrophic. However, it is more likely that we need to go back and cover what was missed. It’s never too late to do a grown-up version of what we do with little kids! Teenagers learn the same as our little children, just about more complex issues! Sit, listen, and find out what is going on. Teaching our kids about bullying isn’t a moment in time. It’s a living lesson. Generally speaking, we can and should revisit it hundreds of times as their life situation changes.

Are bullies targeting your kids? Are people in their inner circle repetitively harassing them? More to the point, are they confusing bullies for friends? Do they call abuse humor or sarcasm? If they don’t look at what bullying behavior can be, it’s not always physical or even direct; they may adopt the victim’s role. Significantly, this victimhood identity can carry over to other areas of life. Understanding abuse and bullying will give them a toolbox they can use for the rest of their lives! To be sure, it’s never too late for kids to consider the respect they deserve. Teach them how to remove themselves from people who disagree. To emphasize, the block button isn’t just an online thing.

Practical Ways Kids Can Avoid Being Targeted

Not often do you have an “ah Ha’ moment, but this video on YouTube brought me one! How To Stop a Bully It provides a pathway to understanding how our children see themselves as the answer to staying off the bully’s radar. He shares a meeting with his guidance counselor that changed his life. I linked it, but this is the gist. Suppose our children look at themselves realistically. In this case, if they make a list of all the strong points and weaknesses, they can begin a journey that will not only repel bullies but redefine the kind of value they assign themselves.

By reframing our weaknesses, we can change the power they hold over us. For example, if you are shy and quiet, that is not a bad thing. It may just be your superpower. It may give you a unique ability to listen to and support people. The video does a great job of looking at what affects kids. Acne, appearance, height, glasses, and so on. It shows how we can be a big part of showing our kids how to assess themselves and even find strength in the things they don’t like. For this reason and more than I can mention, I suggest you check out the Strong Minds Strong Life video! It may just give you a fresh approach to teaching your kids about bullying and sparing them from a childhood filled with pain.

If we are self-aware, if we know our positives and negatives, no one else can use them against us. If bullying is a perceived imbalance of power, we can remove the leverage when we take power out of our weaknesses. When we understand our value and how little anyone else’s ideas affect it, we are no longer targets for someone who needs us to question our very worth.

Protecting Other Kids From Bullies

Not every child has a safe place. Not every child has parents who would take the time to read this article. How can we be active in teaching kids about bullying even when they aren’t our kids? One thing we can do is chat with kids who visit our homes. With this in mind, we can also help by ensuring all kids have access to good resources! Even if it’s just posting 1-800-4-A-Child in your local schools. They can help find resources for the child and get the process started to let them know they are not alone!

Healthy Ideas For Our Kids

We build healthy relationships on healthy ideas, and parents are the first and best resource! Bullying and its dangers are just one among many issues parents are facing today. You don’t have to do it alone! Join us as we build a community fostering a path to healthy Love and relationship. Avoiding abuse is becoming more and more important. Here at WorththeWar, we provide tools to help parents prepare kids for the real-world issues they will encounter. One important area we can prevent a lot of damage for our children is understanding the influence of narcissism on our children. Here is a short article about The Best Way to Prevent Narcissism in Our Children. I hope you find it helpful!

Authors Note: We were not able to cover cyber bullying in this article. If you want an article on Cyber bullying and specific ways to prepare your child for that, please request it in the comments below!

Please follow us on any of the social media platforms above and join our community! We are determined to spare some hearts! Together Let’s Love Well!

Here is a video on the same topic: Teaching Your Kids About Bullying