Bullying Prevention Awareness Week: 5 tips to help your kids deal with bullies

From the Community…

• 
  Posted by S Tue Oct 7, 2008 10:50am PDT

  Unfortunately the schools tend to let this happen and let the kids who are doing it get away with it. Especially if the parents are children of those who are the PTA president, etc.... My oldest daughter came home almost everyday in tears when in elementary school because of the way the kids treated her. I agree with 2centsricher, the teachers and administration can sometimes be part of the problem. My child was not only picked on by the other students but by the staff as well, and when she would stand up for herself, I would get a call from the principal about what my child did to so and so and never would they hear my daughter out. Odd thing was my daughter was a straight A student working two grade levels ahead of her class and was still treated like the problem rather than the victim. Finally after years of this and getting no results (as a single mom I couldn't afford to move from the district). I finally went to the school board and it was funny how quickly the problem with the staff stopped. Unfortunately the problem with the kids continued into highschool until I was able to finally have a child arrested for what they did to her. I wish I had words of wisdom on how to handle, but treat it seriously is all I can say. Although, my daughter who is now 19 went on to graduate at the top of her class and go into college as a sophmore, she has terrible coping skills and it is heartbreaking to watch your child and know there isn't much you can do. I now have a five year old in kindergarten and pray daily for her safety at school that she will not be bullied or do it to someone else. (PRAY FOR THEM DAILY) Also one bit of wisdom would be, if another parent comes to you about your child listen to that parent, our children aren't perfect and it could be our child doing the bulling so take those complaints seriously as well. Maybe if all of us as parent's accepted the fact us, nor our children are perfect nor do they behave perfectly when we are not around, our school yards may be a better place for everyone.

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by Lex Tue Oct 7, 2008 12:39pm PDT

  i absolutly loved your stiry.it happend to my kid.i told and it happend never again

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by Johnell Tue Oct 7, 2008 12:43pm PDT

  Thsi si some good advice but I also think that the teachers or adults at the school should supervise the children more at recess and also when in the classroom. Some teachers don't even bother to tell the parents when their child has had an incident with another child and they should. As a child my mother would periodically come to my class to see what was going on with me and to make sure that the teachers were doing what the were supposed to do because no one can watch out for your child better than you can. My mother also told me if nothing happened after I talk to the teacher and the principal and there was a meeting with both kids and parents and the child kept bullying me to just whoop they ass!!!! Sometimes you have to defend yourself and not let others keep stepping all over you.

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by marty w Wed Oct 8, 2008 7:44am PDT

  My 11 yr. old is in 5th. grade now, but when he first started school he was getting bullied every day thru now. It can be very difficult at times for me when he comes home and says,"momma how come the kids at school pick on me?" Well my son when he was born had two very serious ear infections, so as a little toddler to the age of 5 all he ever heard was muffling, so that natureally made him talk a little funny. We took him to ear specialist, and they managed to fix the problem. The Dr. says he will always be behind his classmates, unless we put him in special classes for reading,spelling, speech therapy. So we did just that, but that did more harm than good,because the kids new he was going to special classes, so they continued to pick, and pick, and pick EVERY-DAY of his school years, all the way up to now in the 5th grade.I have talked to teachers, princeaple, no one never seen anything, heard anything. So i told my son, hold your head up high,smile and walk away, because you are better than they are. those are the kids that will always be in trouble in there lives because the are BULLIES.I just dont know what else to do, can someone please give me some advise, this is really breaking my heart, to see him cry, and cry, sometimes he cries his self to sleep at night, i hear him crying, i tell him how much i love him, and proud of him i am, i give him the biggest hug and tell him he is a very good person. Please help me to do the right thing! Im really worried. thank you, mo.

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by blahblahblah Wed Oct 8, 2008 10:05am PDT

  I had a problem very similar to s23. My son was bullied for years and years by the same kid. Thankfully it seems to have gotten better now that my son is in high school. I went to the teachers, guidance counselors, principal and superintendant and got virtually nowhere. Either they hadnt seen or heard it or had only seen my son (when he fought back) or whatever. I heard a lot of well he has "special problems" blah blah blah... I think it had a lot to do with his parents and their standing in the community. I told my son that he should haul off and beat the crap out of that kid (he never did but OH HOW I HOPED) I told him I wouldnt be mad at him and that I would GLADLY sit in the principals office if he did. Beware some kids dont do anything about bullying!!

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by Nyah M Wed Oct 8, 2008 1:33pm PDT

  I think we need to teach these kids to fight back. Sometimes a punch or a shove is enough to shut a bully up. Sometimes walking away does not help the situation.

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by aj Wed Oct 8, 2008 1:45pm PDT

  thanks for posting this im npt a parent but i am a pre teen (12) daghter i need to know how to handle bullys now i know its ok to come to my parents for help

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by Dana W Wed Oct 8, 2008 6:53pm PDT

  My kids are still young so i watch out for them closely, i have taught them some tools they can use verbally appropriate but i tell them if all else fails go to the closest adult at school and or if someone is getting physical then defend your self but that's when i get involved!!!!

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by MIZER Thu Oct 9, 2008 7:37am PDT

  my son is a quite an embarssed so he will not ask for help an he will only talk to me when were alone an gets mad if I talk about it to anyone else, Its just heart breaking that he has to deal with this in 2nd grade.

  Report Abuse
• 
  Posted by Gina Thu Oct 9, 2008 10:46am PDT

  sometimes its not other kids bulling your child. Sometimes its the teacher. Thats the problem i'm having with my oldest child. I have been to the principal tons of times trying to get to the bottom of my sons problem with this teacher, and its like they only want to listen to the teacher and Ive even had other students come and to me and tell me its happen. The only thing is that there afraid to say something, cause they think it might happen to them...

  Report Abuse