Why Parents Should Consider Creating a No Bullying Zone Around Their Child
Why Parents Should Consider Creating a No Bullying Zone Around Their Child
I have no tolerance for bullying. I'm definitely on the side of parents and educators who would like to see an end to bullying. Recent cases which make the headlines are only the tip of the iceberg. For every story that makes the headlines, there are thousands of kids who are scarred for life by cruelty and teasing from peers, older kids, and I'm sorry to say, even siblings or unenlightened parents.
Bullying has got to stop because it is cruelty and it is unnecessary. Bullying scars the psyche and makes some kids angry and violent, while it makes others repressed and inhibited. Nothing good comes from bullying. I am well aware that there is such a thing as good natured teasing, but it is done in a spirit of friendship, kindness and gentleness.
Teasing that takes place in an unsupervised school yard, on the streets, and any bullying and most so-called hazing are done with callousness and mean spiritedness. They are usually done with intent to harm, harass, and hurt another.
I know from first hand experience and from those I have talked to, that because of teasing and bullying many people develop issues, fears, resentments and self doubts that can plague them for years well into adulthood.
Through talking it out, forgiveness, and learning assertiveness skills, many are able to leave the bad experiences behind. But some never fully recover. Even though some can shrug it off, why have bullying in the first place, when it is so unnecessary?
There's an old expression "charity begins at home." I say: "so does kindness." The first thing parents need to look at is their own behavior. Are you teasing or pressuring your kid? If so, best to stop it. I'm not blaming, just stating a reality. Many parents were teased when they were kids, and now they tease or bully their own kids, sometimes without even realizing what they are doing.
In the guise of discipline some parents or caregivers intimidate by using corporal punishment or verbal punishment on the child. In my opinion, talking calmly, mentoring, coaching, demonstrating good behavior and patient example are much better teachers.
At school, we call name-calling or ridicule teasing or bullying, but what is it when a parent or older sibling ridicules or pressures a child to perform better with threats or derogatory names? It is teasing, perhaps bullying, of the worst kind. It's one thing to be teased or bullied by a stranger or acquaintance, it is another to be teased. bullied, and thus betrayed, by the ones who are supposed to love and protect you.
Parents who commit or permit teasing and bullying at home often make the child angry. The child then goes out and takes out his or her anger on someone else. Otherwise, teasing or bullying at home will make a child timid and repressed--which then draws out the bully in others.
Therefore parents--an atmosphere of kindness, gentleness, calmness and reason is the best preventative. Secondly, keep your comments constructive and find creative ways to manage your child's behavior without resorting to verbal or physical intimidation.
Thirdly, monitor your child's emotional state when he or she comes home from preschool, school, after school, or other activities. Teasing and bullying are common. Remember, there is usually an intimidation factor involved. Be ready to talk to the teacher and, if need be, be prepared to find a better environment for your child. Finding a different preschool, working with the school district to transfer to another school, finding a private school or even home schooling are all viable options in most cases. Moving with Kids? How to Help Toddlers Prepare for Moving Day Kids with Learning Disabilities Need Confidence and Encouragement Kids Fish Oil and How To Select The Purest and Most Effective Fish Oil Supplements How Much Fish Oil For Kids Is The Right Amount and What Makes The Best Supplement? The Top 10 Signs a Child or Teen Needs Professional Counseling Reduce Your Child Support! Ups And Dows Of A Child's Growth Childrens Christmas stockings - 2010 How to Save and Skimp on Children's Parties Child Support Demystified How Do Kids Make Money - A 12 Year Old Can Make Money Online? How Do Kids Make Money Fast And Easy - How Can My Child Make Money Online? What Teenagers and Parents Should Know about Voice Changes During Puberty