How To Talk About Bullying


 Parents, school staff, and other caring adults have a role to play in preventing bullying. They can: 
1.     Help kids understand bullying.
     Talk about what bullying is and how to stand up to it safely. Tell kids bullying is unacceptable. Make sure kids know how to get help.
-          Encourage kids to speak to a trusted adult if they are bullied or see others being
-          Talk about how to stand up to kids who bully. Give tips, like using humor and saying “stop” directly and confidently. Talk about what to do if those actions don’t work, like walking away
-          Talk about strategies for staying safe, such as staying near adults or groups of other kids.
-          Urge them to help kids who are bullied by showing kindness or getting help.

2.     Keep the lines of communication open.
     Check in with kids often. Listen to them. Know their friends, ask about school, and understand their concerns.

Start conversations about daily life and feelings with questions like these:
-          What was one good thing that happened today? Any bad things?
-          What is lunch time like at your school? Who do you sit with? What do you talk about?
-          What is it like to ride the school bus?
-          What are you good at? What would do you like best about yourself?

Start conversations about bullying with questions like these:
-          What does “bullying” mean to you?
-          Describe what kids who bully are like. Why do you think people bully?
-          Who are the adults you trust most when it comes to things like bullying?
-          Have you ever felt scared to go to school because you were afraid of bullying? What ways have you tried to change it?
-          What do you think parents can do to help stop bullying?
-          Have you or your friends left other kids out on purpose? Do you think that was bullying? Why or why not?
-          What do you usually do when you see bullying going on?
-          Do you ever see kids at your school being bullied by other kids? How does it make you feel?
-          Have you ever tried to help someone who is being bullied? What happened? What would you do if it happens again?

3.     Encourage kids to do what they love.
     Special activities, interests, and hobbies can boost confidence, help kids make friends, and protect them from bullying behavior.

4.     Model how to treat others with kindness and respect.
     Kids learn from adults’ actions. By treating others with kindness and respect, adults show the kids in their lives that there is no place for bullying. Even if it seems like they are not paying attention, kids are watching how adults manage stress and conflict, as well as how they treat their friends, colleagues, and families.

Source by : stopbullying.gov

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