Bullying can occur in many stages through the schooling years. As young as they are, even children in preschool care are not exempt from this behavior. Bullying can have long-lasting effects on both the bully and their victims. Find out how to identify bullying and what you can do to stop it.
What Types Of Bullying Are There?
There are many different forms of bullying and they all have very damaging effects on children. All forms of bullying should be taken seriously and stopped as soon as possible. Bullies use their power to control, overpower, and hurt their victims. In addition to the use of power, the ac of bullying is often repeated over time or has the potential to be repeated in the future.
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Verbal Bullying
This is the act of using words or writing to hurt another child. This includes name-calling, threatening, or teasing.
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This is the act of trying to alienate the victim from their friends and peers, and ruin their reputation. This includes deliberately excluding someone or spreading rumors about someone with the intention of hurting them and their relationships.
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Physical Bullying
This is the act of hurting the body or possessions of someone else. This could include hitting, kicking, taking and breaking someone else’s things, or pushing.
Bullying can occur at different times throughout a child’s day. It could happen while your child is at preschool care or after, or it can happen during travel time between home and school.
What Can You Do To Stop Bullying?
Parents play a big role in preventing and putting a stop to bullying if it is already taking place in preschool care. There are many things that you can look out for and do to make sure that your child is not being bullied.
It is important to look out for any behavioral and emotional changes in your child. These changes could indicate that your child is being bullied. Your child might start acting differently to the way they usually act. They may seem more anxious, eat less, have trouble sleeping, or avoid certain situations that they were previously fine with. It is important to talk to your child if you notice any of these changes. Even if your child is not being bullied, it could indicate other problems too, such as preschool stress.
When talking to your child about bullying, be gentle in your approach. It is a very sensitive subject and your child might be too scared to open up. If your child does not want to open up to you, you should suggest that they speak to someone that they trust or who they feel comfortable talking to.
Once you’ve determined that your child is indeed being bullied, it is important to mention it to the preschool. Establishing a strong parent-teacher relationship helps to ensure the safety of your child. The preschool will be able to support your child, provide mediation between your child and the bully, and prevent bullying from occurring again in the future.
It is important for you as a parent to read up on laws related to bullying. It will act as a guide for knowing when the preschool is obligated to take action. If the bullying violates these laws, the school has the responsibility of taking it further and addressing the issue in a more serious manner.
What Can You Teach Your Child About Bullying?
Parents have a huge responsibility when it comes to ensuring that their child does not fall victim to a bully or that they don’t bully others themselves.
You should be sure to remind your child to treat everyone with respect and kindness. You should remind them not to be mean or hurt others whether it be physically or emotionally. Everyone is different and should be treated nicely regardless. This is something that needs to be instilled in children from a very young age while your child is still in preschool care.
Encourage your child to talk to an adult that they trust if they are ever in trouble or need help. The adult could help them sort out any issues they may be experiencing with a bully or give them advice if they are bullying others.
If your child is being bullied, teach them not to react in a violent manner but rather to walk away and talk to an adult they trust. This will prevent the situation from getting worse and hopefully it will be put to a stop by the adult.
Teach your child to stand up for others that are being bullied. Encourage them to talk to an adult they trust about what they’ve witnessed. In addition, encourage them to be nice to the person that is being bullied. Teach them to show sympathy for those that are being hurt.