Many parents have the fear of their child being bullied, but very few parents actually think about their child being the one who is the bully. Finding out your own child has been bullying others can be terrifying, but it is also a time to take some quick action. If you have recently found out that your own child has been bullying others, take a look at these 5 steps to take when your child is a bully so you can put an end to this dangerous behavior.
1. Offer your child your support.
You may not think it, but your child needs support right now. He or she needs to know that you are here to support them and prevent this behavior from continuing. Your child needs to know that you think highly of her, that you expect more of her, and that you will help her reach her potential. Let her know this behavior is unacceptable, and you will support her to be a better person.
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2. Gather your resources.
Schools have resources in place to help with bullying issues. Some of these resources include the principal, vice principal, school counselor, and hallway/lunchroom staff. Request a meeting with the appropriate resources in order for them to be aware of the bullying issues and to get some helpful insight and support from them.
3. Don’t be afraid to reach out to the offended party.
Your child should be responsible for extending an olive branch to the offended party. Oversee this happening, and don’t be afraid to reach out to the other parents as well. Let them know that you plan on resolving the situation to the best of your ability, and offer to keep lines of communication open in the future should any other issues arise.
4. Get daily updates.
Let your child know this is a serious issue by checking in with her daily. Ask for daily updates, check in regularly with your school support staff, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Showing daily interest shows that this is a pressing issue, and can help your child see that it is behavior that needs to be addressed quickly.
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5. Know when to get professional help.
If your child is continuing to hurt others, you need to know when to find professional help. If you see a pattern in your child’s behavior, or numerous incidents have occurred, ask a school counselor to recommend a professional outside of school who may be able to look into this issue.
Bullying can be scary, and knowing your child is a bully can be even scarier. Give these steps a try when dealing with a bully under your own roof, and see if you can’t find some success.
Thankfully I raised my kids better than that, but how mortifying that must be to be the parent of a bully. I can’t imagine.
This is one of my fears but I know I definitely have no problems reaching out to parents or people who offend my child. This is a good, easy list and definitely important.
My kids have always come to when they have issues with other kids at school. One year a girl kicked my daughter’s stuff and pushed her. I emailed her teachers and said if this isn’t addressed that I would contact the principal.
I discourage fighting or stooping to the other persons level but if the school doesn’t want to do anything to help then tell your child to fight back. This happened to my sister. My sister stood up to her bully and it stopped after 8.
Number 3 is very important. This won’t only make the offended party feel well, but it will also let them know that as a parent, you don’t tolerate such thing at home. Great tips overall.
This is a great resource for parents dealing with a bully child. I am so thankful that I raised two God-fearing children and I didn’t have to deal with this.
These are great tips for the parents of a child that is a bully. It is so important to keep communication between the parent and child. Getting updates for an authority figure at school daily is an awesome idea too. Thanks for sharing.
These are good tips. When my daughter had a bully, I went straight to the school. The parent was one of my child’s teachers, which worried me.