Bullying Prevention

• Stay involved in your child’s life. Keep the communication open, ask questions, and talk to your child about what’s happening in school or online. 

• Start a discussion about bullying, and make sure your child knows what it is and that it’s unacceptable on any level.

• Look for warning signs that your child has been bullied, like depression, anxiety, isolated or withdrawn behavior, or complaints that he/she doesn’t want to go to school.

• Make sure children understand that bullying and cyberbullying have the same effects. Just because someone bullies via the internet doesn’t mean it’s less hurtful, and kids may not see that connection.

• Keep track of what internet or social sites your child visits and know their passwords.

• Be aware of who your child’s friends are online and off. If you find out your child is being bullied online, don’t deny them access to the computer. Find out where it’s happening and how, get a school counselor or teacher involved, and let your child know that you will support them.

• If you find out your child is the bully, find out what the underlying problem is. Maybe he/she has been bullied since bullying can often be a result of being bullied. Try to solve the core issue together, and make sure there is zero-tolerance for bullying of any kind.