Kids and Bullying

Kids and school are in full swing. Along with homework, sports activities and social commitments, parents also need to pay attention to is whether or not their child likes going to school. If your child seems anxious or afraid of school, then you might need to have a conversation with your child, school staff and teachers.

According to statistics, bullying is a common problem among children beginning as early as the age of 5. Bullying among children is aggressive behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power of strength. Typically, it's repeated over time.

Bullying can take many forms, such as hitting (physical bullying); teasing or name-calling (verbal bullying); intimidation using gestures or social exclusion (nonverbal bullying or emotional bullying); sending insulting messages by phone or e-mail (cyberbullying). Many children, particularly boys and older children, do not tell their parents or adults at school about being bullied.

Some warning signs of bullying could include:
? Unexplained cuts, bruises or scratches;
? Seems afraid of going to school, walking to and from school, or taking part in organized activities with peers;
? Sudden loss of interest in school or poor performance;
? Appears anxious and suffers from low self-esteem;

If your child shows any of these signs, it doesn't necessarily mean that he or she is being bullied, but it is worth exploring. You should talk to your child and with the staff at school.

Some subtle questions worth asking your child if you have concerns are:
? "Do you have any special friends at school this year? Who are they? Who do you hang out with?"
? "Who do you sit with at lunch or play with on the playground?"
? "Are there any kids at school who you really don't like? Why don't you like them? Do they ever pick on you or leave you out of things?"

The main thing to consider is to keep the lines of communication open with your child. Simply talking to them usually will produce good information for you to work from.