No one wants to deal with a bully. Let’s have a close to the heart moment here. When it comes to a bully in the schoolyard it feels 100 times worse, because you’re not there to go all mama bear and protect your cub.
So, how do you help your little cub feel safe at school and know what they can do if a bully strikes?
Teach your child that it is okay to talk to you or an adult they trust about something that upsets them. The last few weeks, my oldest has been coming home telling us about one of the kids in his class. At first, it felt like normal kids and joking type of stuff. Until it wasn’t.
Teach your child to seek an adult when they are uncomfortable with the situation they are in. This week things went over the line. Significantly over the line. This week the class bully pulled up an image on his computer during lunch and walked a crossed the room to tell my son it was a picture of him. Now here is my 1st proud mama moment. My son got up once the bully was busy at his own seat again, and went to the hall to go to the bathroom. He used this time to approach one of the lunch aids – while he was out of sight of the bully and other classmates.
Teach your child it is okay to act brave and to walk away even when they don’t feel that way. Proud mama moment number two happened when this same bully walked up to my son in line and pretended he was going to spit on him. My son backed up and flinched, and the bully and his friends all laughed and teased him for flinching. My son’s response was “that’s disgusting, no one wants your spit on them,” and walked away.
Teach your child to be a friend and use the buddy system. And here is my proud mama moment number three. Several other students have been being bullied by the same kid. My son has taken it upon himself to be extra kind to these kids by cheering them on. Although the Bully teases him more for it, my son talks to and walks with the kids who are alone.
Have courage and be kind. We have gone to the school for help with the situation, but some of the basics we can instill in our little cubs. When we stick up for others it helps us to stick up for ourselves.
Has your child experienced bullying? How did you handle it?
