Pictures says a thousand word! But rather than simply worrying and hovering over your troubled child, it's important to address the topic NOW, before any situation in your child's life escalates. Learn how to talk to your child about bullying.
Here are some tips and tools for talking about the situation with your teens and preteens.
1 - Open the Conversation—Don't Wait for Your Teen.
Beginning a conversation with your teenager can be tough, but
this topic is crucial. Use the news stories as a conversation opener.
Open the communication flow and listen to what your teen has to
say. \"Feel the child out and let him talk. Listen more than speak.
Remain neutral, no preaching, and see where your teen takes
the topic\".
2 - If Your Teen Opens Up, DO NOT Shut Him Down!
If your teen feels comfortable enough to explain to you a bullying
situation he or she has experienced or observed, resist the urge to
cross-examine! Getting emotional and angry and asking \"Who was
it? When did this happen?\" will only close that communication
channel. Instead, respond rather than react. Gentle prompts
about how your teen felt during the situation will be the most
effective way to keep your teen sharing with you. This is NOT the
time for a lecture, it's time to listen.
3 - Prepare Your Teen to Stand Up to Bullying!
As parents, we may worry that we sometimes sound like a broken
record, but here are topics you can NEVER talk about too often
with your teens:
a) Making good decisions in their treatment of peers
b) Standing up for what they believe in when around others
who treat peers poorly
c) Emphasizing that they NEVER have to \"just take it\" if they
are being harassed in any way
d) Feeling good about who they are and loving themselves
e) Letting them know that you ALWAYS \"have their back\",
value and love EVERYTHING about them
Dr. Vicki says, \"Over half of all kids have been bullied, and cyberbullying in particular can happen over and over before a parent is aware of it. As parents, we need to remind our teens over and over that we are to help them with bad situations. \"It's crucial to let our teens know that a situation is never hopeless.\"
Remember, No Conversation is Too Short, No Topic Too Frequent
Not every talk with your teen has to be an hour-long heart-to-heart on the couch— short, frequent conversations about bullying and self-esteem with your teen totally count in your communication tally.
Just remember to keep your ears and arms open, and your judgment and lecturing mouth firmly closed. Through diligence and tolerance, you'll be doing your part to help combat the ugly practice of bullying and give your teen the support he needs.