How to Bully Proof our Kids

Yesterday, my kids got their class list and teacher assignments.  This not only caused a mad dash to text and call friends to discuss “who got who,” but a little anxiety about whether a bully or mean girl was in their class.  Even at the elementary school level, there are kids that our children intuitively know to stay away from.  Sometimes, however, they don’t have a choice.

That’s why it’s becoming more and more important to “bully proof” your children from a young age, so they will neither become a bully nor succumb to the damaging behavior of bullies.

While bullying prevention might seem like an impossible task, you are probably asking yourself,how do I even begin to do that? 

First of all, it’s most important to set a good example for your children! Kids constantly mimic what they see, and if they see their parent bullying someone, bad mouthing someone, or just being mean, chances are that they will do it too, and worst of all think it is completely okay.

Teach your children to be confrontational. Dr. Susan Lipkins, a child psychologist who specializes in bullying, reports: "Fifty percent of the time, if you just say no to a bully, they'll stop.” Teach your kids from a young age to politely tell someone if they do not like something they are doing to them and to be proactive in feeling comfortable in their surroundings. 

For your child’s safety, immerse your children in something they love doing. Allowing them to have an outlet that they enjoy will build their happiness and confidence. From a young age, socialize them via activities such as music classes, art workshops, or joining a soccer team. This not only allows them to learn how to play well with other children but provides them with a way to find their interests.

Finally, teach your children to laugh-off jokes about them rather than get upset about them or combat them with comebacks. It seems in today’s world, we are raising kids that can be overly sensitive or feel that when someone ridicules them, it is appropriate and right to make fun of them right back. This does nothing but perpetuate the bullying problem our society faces and it is useful to teach our kids that sometimes, it is both healthier and easier to simply laugh it off.