10 Easy Anti Bullying Tips Any Child Can Do
One in every five students experiences bullying, according to a 2019 National Center for Educational Statistics report. This number shows the importance of having an anti bullying strategy with your child before problems arise.
Various studies report mixed statistics on bullying, but an estimated mean of these studies shows that almost 50% of tweens, 9-12 years old, experience bullying at school. This percentage is a staggering number of impressionable young people.
Bullying may impact a child’s social interactions, school performance, and self-image. These challenges can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Prolonged anxiety and depression may lead to risky behavior like substance abuse, self-harm, or suicidal thoughts.
Though we want to protect our children, we can’t be with them 24/7. Instead, we must give them the tools to help themselves as much as possible.
Keep reading to find out 10 easy anti bullying tips any child can do without you.
What is Bullying
Simply stated, bullying happens when a person continually seeks to intimidate, harm, or coerce another person. Typically, the victim is vulnerable (i.e., weaker, younger, less popular, a different race or gender, or physically/mentally impaired), which the bully uses to initiate aggression.
10 Anti Bullying Tips
Bullying is a loaded topic for both parents and children. As parents, we want to solve problems, take away our children’s pain, or bring in baggage from our own childhood experiences. Before charging in, parents need to pause, evaluate the situation, and facilitate their ability to solve this issue for themselves.
It is vital to know if the bullying is a one-time, rare occurrence or a persistent problem and to what severity. Contact the school if bullying is frequent, physical, or illegal (such as theft). To keep your child’s trust, include them in this decision to contact the school administration.
Some children will feel uncomfortable with this solution for fear of embarrassment and retaliation. To reenforce your relationship of openness, ask your child how they feel, what she thinks she should say, and what she would want to do.
The following are 10 anti bullying tips that any child can do to help prevent or resolve bullying issues.
1) Avoid Problem Areas
In self-defense, we learn about situational awareness. Children should avoid areas with low or no adult supervision such as hallways, stairwells, a particular area of the playground, and the cafeteria. Avoidance may be challenging (in some instances) if your child needs to be in these areas. For example, if a problem area is a group bathroom. Brainstorm solutions of alternate routes, routines, or additional anti bullying tips to use.
2) Speak Up for Yourself
If your child can muster their courage, speaking up for themselves is a powerful anti bullying tool. However, bullies are often looking to get a reaction from your child. Your child shouldn’t show strong emotions of anger or sadness.
Bullies are usually looking for a weak victim. Instead, in a calm, confident voice, tell the bully to stop the behavior or to leave you alone. Assertive behavior may be enough to prevent the bullying from continuing.
3) Disarm Them With Words
Along the same lines as speaking up for yourself, deflection can also throw bullies off. Using phrases like, “Whatever,” “Is that the best you can do?” or “How long did it take you to think of that one?” can deflate a bully.
These statements do not give the grand emotional response the bully hopes to see.
4) Use Humor
Another form of deflection can be the use of humor. Some children don’t feel humorous enough for spontaneous jokes. It’s okay to have prepared material. And if all else fails laugh.
Laughing at the bully and walking away can throw the bully off. Often the bullying event will end.
5) Walk Away
Walking away is a good anti bullying tactic to use after speaking up for yourself, laughing, or deflecting. Calmly turn and walk off. You can go toward a safe place near an adult or a friend.
6) Be With Buddies
Bullies will often seek to pick on someone when they are alone. Find a friend to be with especially during problem times or in problem areas.
7) Stay Near Adults
Be aware of where adults are. If you are having issues in class, ask to move closer to the teacher. If your problem is at the playground, play close to where an adult is stationed.
8) Tell A Trusted Adult
Encourage your child to keep an open dialog with you. Children worry about disappointing parents that they are not popular, and may feel embarrassed to share bullying problems.
Also, notifying a teacher can be very helpful. Telling the teacher may make them more aware to watch for covert bullying behavior.
But keep in mind that sometimes bullying is allowed threw systemic complacency. So, parents may need to be proactive with going to the next level by notifying the administration, the superintendent, or even a school board member.
9) Find New Friends
A big anti bullying tip is to find new friends. Children will feel hurt and confused if they were once friends with the bully. They may even think the problem lies with them.
It is vital to convey that your child is valuable and worthy of good friends. As parents, it is our job to explain and model what a good friend is.
Your child has the right to respect and consideration.
Encourage her to find new friends that will treat her this way.
10) Find New Activities
A child that exudes confidence is less likely to be bullied, so our final anti bullying tip is to find activities that will build up their spirit. Activities may include drawing, horse riding, or martial arts.
Regardless of your activity choice, your child must enjoy the time spent there, feel confident that she is successful and growing, and makes new friends within this experience.
Final Thoughts on Anti Bullying
We hope these 10 anti bullying tips help guide your child to resolve her bullying issue. Use them as talking points, but more importantly let your child do the majority of the talking.
Listening to how your child feels is a crucial part of their processing and healing. We want our children to come to us for these big problems, so delivering a calm response vs. a big emotional reaction will help build trust.
When seeking new activities for your child it is encouraged to find them an individual sport vs. a team sport. If a child is having a difficult time with peers, they may experience bullying behaviors during team activities.
Martial arts are the perfect example of an individual sport. Although students take class together, each child is striving to accomplish individual goals. Children do not need to please a teammate, or feel the pressure to win the big game.
We promote confidence and self-esteem during every class and find amazing results for students over a short period of time.
If you think martial arts may help your child build the skills needed to prevent bullying book a free martial arts class today!