The last thing you want to hear as a parent is that your child is being bullied. What’s worse is when they are being bullied by a friend. This becomes a challenge and telling your child to stay away from their friend might not be an easy solution. So what do you do?

First, Inquire. Ask your child about the friends they interact with. What games does your child play with these children? How well does your child get along with the group of kids he/she plays with? Also, you can ask, did anyone say anything to your child that made them feel uncomfortable, sad, scared, etc?

Next, Share! If your child is experiencing classmates using words that are hurtful and potentially can be a threat, do not hesitate to reach out to the teacher. Too often we ignore these signs and say ” oh they’re just kids”, but our children will become affected mentally and emotionally. You can also reach out to a social worker as well for intervention.

Last, Accountability! If your child is experiencing this in a group setting, hold the leaders/teachers accountable. If you share these concerns with your children’s teacher or caregiver, then there is nothing wrong with you expecting these individuals to take the next step. We cannot just hope these experiences our children are having to just vanish overnight. We must be the best advocates we can be for our children. Keep following up and reaching out to those in authority until steps are in place to resolve the issue, or action is taken on their part.

Talking with your children about bullying is one of the best ways you can be proactive. Here is some additional information that can help with talking to your children about bullying. http://www.respectu.com http://www.health.usnews.com