National bullying prevention month
Written by Samantha Spielfogel, Psy.D. (PSB94027904)
October is the start for many of the holiday season, but it is also National Bullying Prevention Month, so let’s take a moment to review what is bullying, how to recognize when our kids are being bullied, and ways we can support them.
The American Psychological Association defines bullying as a form of aggressive behavior that is intentionally and repeatedly causing another person injury or discomfort (Bullying, n.d.). This covers physical aggression, words, or even more subtle actions. In more recent years, a new type of bullying has also popped up, called “cyberbullying” which is a specific type of bullying through electronics like social media or texting. While most bullying traditionally happened at school, now, children and teens can be bullied even when they are at home, via social media apps and phones. Children can be bullied based on their race, orientation, physical appearance, disability, or other factors.
What are some signs you want to look out for to see if your child is being bullied? If there are behavioral or mood changes in your child, that may be a sign that something is going on. Parents may also want to look out for injuries that their child cannot explain, lost or ruined personal items, frequent illness or seemingly faking illness, changes in eating habits, difficulty sleeping, not wanting to go to school, avoidance of social situations or loss of friends could all be signs that your child is being bullied. They may seem more withdrawn or moody.
If your child is showing any of these signs, it is only natural to want to ask them what is going on and express your concern. It may not be as simple as asking them and getting an answer, as kids and teens may not want to share this experience or want to be seen as weak. Try to create an atmosphere of safety and nonjudgment as you ask about what has happened and avoid telling them to let things go or get over it. Discussions about how to handle bullies – talking to a teacher or other trusted adult, walking away, finding a friend – and planning for these situations, as well as practicing this plan, can be helpful.
As we move forward in the school year, we can all work to try to address bullying and support our kids in teens in these experiences. Below are some resources that can be helpful in supporting them with bullying.
Citation
Bullying. (n.d.). https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/topics/bullying
