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Have your kids ever been bullied? Would they tell you if they were? What is your advice? Do you tell them to fight back with words or do you tell them to ignore the other child? It's a tough subject to tackle because every situation is different. My almost five-year-old tends to be shy so I am prone to try and get him to stand up for himself when someone tries to verbally bully him. Of course, I don't want to encourage him to hurt someone. It's a tough balancing act.
Here's a story from CNN that brought this topic to mind:
A new school year is getting under way for millions of kids around the country. In today's health minute, here's some advice for parents whose children may be bullied.
Middle school principal Denise Magee hopes this school year will be different. The best case scenario for me as a local school principal? That we are bully proof, fully free of any bully incidents. That we are truly here with an academic focus: no fighting, no teasing, no name calling. Experts say bullying is not a rite of passage, as some people believe. They say it can have long-term consequences for a child. Kids who are bullied are at greater risk of physical symptoms, physical complaints, emotional problems, academic under-achievement and most of them start to try to find ways to miss school.
Psychologist Mark Crawford recommends parents step in after getting the facts. Make sure you're talking to them and encouraging them to talk to you. Let them know that some things just simply aren't okay and they don't have to put up with it. Magee has her own advice for parents. "I do not want parents to leave us out of the scenario. I want them to immediately contact us," said Magee. Magee is being pro-active and letting students at her school know that when it comes to bullying, she has a zero-tolerance policy.
Have your kids been bullied? What is your advice for parents? Will you encourage your child to fight back
-NewsAnchorMom Jen
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