Nanny to Mommy

Mean kids exist. Unfortunately, there are those kids who find joy in hurting the feelings of others. And no, this no longer just happens in middle school. There are so many children who are bullies even in their younger years. This could happen because they’re growing up with very little guidance from parents, or they’re going through tough times at home, or worst, that their parents have brought them up with a superior complex as they’re bullies themselves.

It's just sad that your child has fallen victim to this. As parents, this situation can be very hard to deal with because your emotions may get the best of you. When you, yourself, do your best to protect your children and shower them with love, it’s painful to know that other kids have inflicted pain on your child.

If this is the case, there are things you can do to protect your child and help your child cope through this difficult time. Learn more about bullying and how it has indeed become a problem in many places, so you can better understand that yes, there’s always that likelihood of your kid to get bullied, no matter how nice they may be.

Here’s how you can go through this:

While you may want to be with your kids all the time, there are many instances when this just isn’t possible. As your kids start school, you’ve got to prepare them for all of the possible scenarios that could happen. That way, they can keep themselves emotionally strong and know how to respond in an appropriate and polite manner to bullies. You can tell that your child is going through tough times emotionally when they start to show warning signs like not wanting to go to school or being constantly sad.

This begins with practicing phrases with your kids that they can say when they’re bullied. The key is to keep these phrases simple and direct to the point, but not antagonistic in any way. Otherwise, the bully might only get even more threatened and aggravated. Some of the common phrases they can simply say is, ‘That’s not nice.’ or ‘Leave me alone.’

While you may be struggling with your emotions, don’t let these get the best of you. Take the time to listen to your child and understand what they have to say. If you’re hurt, then all the more that your child is. Especially if they’re young, they may not be able to process their emotions very well yet. So, it’s important to open up your heart and listen to what your child has to say about this first A good starting point with your child coping is finding comfort in their parents’ listening ears. Listen without getting upset, or showing your child that you’re angry with the bully. Most importantly, don’t curse while your child is talking to you.

You can end the conversation by asking your child what it is they have in mind that they want you to do. When you get input from your child, you’re increasing the likelihood of your child recovering better because you’re taking to heart what they feel can help them recover.

If the bullying is repeated and has gotten severe, then you’re going to have to report this to the school. Schedule a meeting with the principal or administrator so you can have them alerted about what’s going on with some kids in school.

This is one way to put a stop to it. Otherwise, the bully may stop bullying your child, but they may continue doing the same or averting their attention instead to another child. It's going to be a never-ending culture of bullying in school, where kids are supposed to be happy and safe.

Reporting to the teacher and principal isn’t a sign of weakness. Rather, it’s a way of showing the bully and their parents that what they’re doing is wrong. Who knows, perhaps the parent of the bully isn’t even aware of their kids’ behavior. Proper disciplinary action can be undertaken when there’s full awareness of other kids’ language and behavior.

When your child has been bullied, one of the most common feelings they might have in mind is thinking that it’s their fault. You don’t want this to be the case. Otherwise, the problem might escalate to self-esteem issues as they grow up.

As their parent, it’s your responsibility to give your kids the assurance that they didn’t do anything to deserve being a victim of bullying. So, reassure your child that it’s not their fault. Help them walk out of the trauma emotionally strong.

Now that you’ve got these tips on your plate, you can help your kids who are going through a rough time of getting bullied. It's always painful for parents to see their kids get hurt. But, sometimes, this could be a part of growing up. You have to prepare your kids for the reality of the big world that not everyone is nice. There are other children who may not have their parent’s guidance, who are taught the wrong values, or are going through rough times. At the end of the day, the tips above can help your child rise up and not let the bullying get to them. Then, you can also be a better person.