Tips on how you can help your child deal with bullying

Bullying can affect your child’s self-esteem especially at a stage when they consider peer friendships and validations important. Although some children are strong enough to shake off bullies, for others they may grow with feelings dejection into adulthood and always feel worthless and rejected.

As a parent it is important to introduce the subject of bullying to your children to prepare them for adulthood. They should be able to understand that not everyone will always be nice to them and learn how to deal with these situations at an early stage.

Here are some ways you can help your child deal with bullying:

Before dealing with the issue at hand always ensure your child knows and understands how much you love and care about them. Be the safe space they seek, a place they can openly come and talk about their feelings without fear of being judged or belittled.

When talking to your child about bullying, do not bad mouth the bullies or make your child resent them, instead listen and empathize with them. Before taking any action, demystify bullying and try to help them understand that not all children are brought up the same and that they will meet people who will appreciate them as they are.

When your child is being bullied, it is not easy to deal with the situation without overreacting or wanting to intervene, but remember it is their battle and all you can do is guide them. Teach them that they cannot control what bullies say but they can however control how they respond to them.

Empower your child on how to deal with the bullies in her life. What you don’t want to do is plant victim-thinking on your children. Whatever they are going through is not fair but they should not brood and stay stagnated in that situation. Help them to grow stronger and get out of their hurt.

As mentioned earlier, it is hard watching your child suffering when you can handle the situation. However, do not take matters into your hands. All the decisions should come from them, all you can do is guide them through the whole process.

Putting full trust in your child goes a long way in rebuilding their self-esteem and helping them stand up for themself. Do not take over the situation, your child should be able to fight their own battles and feel empowered. Not unless your child is being physically assaulted, don't always offer to take charge of the situation.

Changing people who have their intentions set is not easy, instead you can have your child make new friends. It is better for your child to have one friend who respects them than many who look down on them.

When children find validation in healthier friendships, they are able to learn and understand that the people excluding them are not the only people who can be their friends. New people will also make your child feel better and lose focus and interest in the bullies around them. A bully will only be as strong as you enable them.

Tip: Always consult a pediatrician or counselor to assess if your child could be suffering from depression as a result of the bullying. Children may act fine but they really aren’t as strong or fine.