- Listen, ask, and talk about your child’s school day
- Watch for any changes in behavior that concern you.
- Reduce or eliminate the amount of television time that involves violence.
- Clearly communicate to your child that your family does not tolerate behavior that hurts another person.
- Try avoiding physical punishment in your family. Set clear rules and follow through with consequences such as limiting privileges or using time out.
- Expect your child’s school to have written school rules regarding bullying.
- Keep a written record of your observations concerning your child’s behavior. Let the school know immediately if you believe your child has been bullied.
- Teach and practice specific sentences with your child that can help him or her respond assertively to a bully. For example:
- “Thanks, I didn’t think you noticed.”
- “I don’t have a problem with that, do you?”
- “Leave me alone.”
From: Getting Equipped to Stop Bullying (page 74).
Becki Boatwright, Ph.D., LPC; Teresea Mathis, Ed.S, LMSW; and Susan Smith-Red, Ed.D