It’s a harsh reality that bullying continues to roam within our school systems.

Most kids don’t know how to prevent bullying or change the bully within themselves. This is a critical time in our children’s lives, and we as adults must step in to ensure that it doesn’t occur. In a previous post we discussed, “Why do Children Bully” and now, I’d like to share some ways to prevent bullying all together.

We can name tons of different reasons why kids bully others, and bullying cases can vary from situation to situation. No matter how severe the bullying is or the circumstance, it’s never acceptable and should be handled quickly. If you truly think your child is at risk, let’s take action now and strive for a change. I personally believe that it’s easier to prevent the bullying from the start, than to stop it once it begins. 

The following tips I’m about to share below are some healthy tips on how to prevent the bullying before it starts. 

Tip 1: Encourage your child to socialize. 

Bullying often tends to happen in unsupervised areas. Share this with your children that could potentially be at high risk of bullying and remind them to avoid being alone in hallways, at recess, and in other areas of the school.  

Encourage your child to seek out quality friends that have their best interest in mind. Keep in your mind that bullies are more likely to target children that are alone… so encourage your child to socialize.

You can help your child be more sociable by allowing him/her to bring a friend over to the house for example. 

Tip 2: Be the bigger person. 

Advise your child to be the bigger person and just walk away from the situation. Showing the bully that you’re not phased by their comments or other attempts to get you in defensive mode is key. Ignoring and not putting energy towards the bullying is the best way to stop it.

Bullies like to pick on individuals who are not confident, assertive or present bad body language. 

Teaching our children to have confidence is an excellent way to prevent bullying. Children who are confident, assertive and maintain good body language when confronted by a bully are less likely to be picked on. This type of reaction will decrease the chances that your child will be targeted again.  

Children should not cry or get upset if they are bullied; instead, the best way to prevent bullying is for them to use an assertive voice and tell the bully to stop. Bullies like to get a rise out of the kids they pick on, so children that are calm and assertive are less likely to be a victim.

Tip 3: Involve your child in confidence boosting activities. 

Get your child involved in extra-curricular activities that’ll help boost their confidence. Children who are a part of organized sports or groups can learn to build self-discipline and esteem. This will carry over into bullying situations.

Encourage any enjoyable activity that your child excels in and makes them happy. This will transition to more self-confidence and in turn that confidence will help prevent bullying. 

Tip 4: Talk to your child and let them know that it’s NOT their fault! 

Last tip, and this could be the most important one. Make sure your child knows that the bullying is not their fault! I know from experience that a child can feel something’s wrong with them and that the bullying is something they deserve.

This type of thinking is very damaging and is simply not acceptable. It’s important to inform your child if they are at risk of, or already being bullied that it’s truly not their fault.  

Many children are hesitant to turn to adults for help – so be willing to listen when the opportunity arises. I encourage you to listen first and allow your child to open up to sharing their experience and you be willing to share your own.

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I hope you found some benefit out of this post. Reach out to me if you have any questions about this subject or believe that I can assist and help your school or organization prevent bullying.

I would love the opportunity… Let’s remember, tomorrow is yours to create!