My child bullies others, what now?.

Does your child bully others? Then you are naturally shocked when you hear that. Especially because as parents, you often think your child would never do that. Sometimes it does happen, against all odds. What do you do with it? How do you make sure your child stops bullying? You can read more about it in this article.

Help, my child is bullying. How do I deal with this?

If your child bullies others, you may face a difficult situation. You might meet angry parents and have talks at school. Is it clear your child is bullying others? That can be hard. You may get angry parents and talks at school. This all comes with it, but sometimes it can be quite hard to manage. Do not hide. Say you find the situation bad and you want to help stop the bullying. Do not forget to ask for help from trusted people around you or your doctor.

Talk to your child about bullying

First, it is important to talk with your child. This can only happen if your child trusts you want to help. Give your child space to share all sides of the story. Ask your child what exactly happened and look together for reasons why your child bullies. Look together for ways to stop the bullying. Give your child responsibility for the situation. In the talk, it is important to explain what bullying does to someone and that bullying behavior is not accepted. Do not reject your child’s personality but reject the behavior. So, not: ‘you are mean,’ but: ‘it is mean to hit someone.’ You can also watch videos together about the effects of bullying to help your child understand how it feels for others. It is important your child feels safe with you. You can agree your child comes to you if something happens and that you do not get angry but look together for a solution. Sometimes it also helps to connect with other children who bully or are bullied.

Contact with school

The atmosphere at school often plays an important role in bullying. It is important to keep talking with the school. What actions does the school take to stop bullying? Do they follow the steps in their policy? Can they spend more time and attention on a good atmosphere in the class? And does that help? Keep a close watch and agree that the school keeps you well informed.

Help for your child

Does your child find it hard to get along well with others? Or to follow rules and agreements? Always set a good example yourself and look for courses or training if needed. For example, to improve empathy, social skills, or self-image of your child.