Ten Ways to Deal With Bullies

According to Kidshealth.org, three in four children have been bullied or teased in school. Bullying leads to stress and anxiety and even suicide in extreme cases. Sometimes parents do not even know that the child is being bullied because the child is too scared to tell on the bullies. If you know or speculate that your child is being bullied, here are 10 tips that you can share with your child.

  1. 1. Avoid the Bully

    • Avoiding the bullies will prevent them from having physical interaction with you. You cannot skip school altogether, but find different routes to take to class to limit the interaction with the bully.

    2. Always Stay With a Friend.

    • Find friends that will walk with you around school and that will stand by you if you are bullied. Bullies tend to pick on loners who appear weak, because bullies are weak themselves. They thrive on making others feel bad because they have inadequacies themselves. There is safety in numbers, so always walk in a crowd.

    3. Don't Be Afraid to Stand up for Yourself!

    • It is okay to say no and to talk back to a bully. If you stand up for yourself, there will be less chance of the bullying continuing. Do it at the first instance, and don't let the feelings fester.

    4. Do Not Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve

    • Hide your feelings. A bully just wants to get a reaction out of you. Tears or screaming is the perfect reward for a bully. Whatever you do, do not show your feelings. A bully just wants to see you hurt.

    5. Tell a Friend or Teacher

    • Do not cover up for a bully. Tell someone -- a friend, teacher or parent. If someone knows what is going on, then they can be there to protect you. This also creates a verbal "paper trail" and a case against the bully should there be legal action against the person bullying you.

    6. Do Not Bully Back

    • Do not fall into the cycle of bullying back. When kids are bullied, sometimes they tend to do the same to others because they are frustrated. Bullied kids can act out towards parents, siblings and friends because they know they can use their voice against them. Bullies take power away and their victims often want to get their power back -- sometimes at the expense of others.

    Do Not Blame Yourself

    • You are not the problem, the bully is. The bully is the one with the need to make you feel bad, and you did not do anything to cause the bully to come after you. A bully wants to break you down, and if he cannot succeed, he will stop or move on.

    Find a Safe Place

    • If you cannot always be in a group, find a safe place to hang out when you are not in class. Go to a teacher's classroom, the main office or a place you will be safe.

    Protect Yourself and Be Prepared

    • You can fight back if you are physically attacked first. In some states, such as Washington, you must be hit twice before you can justify self-defense. Know the laws in your state, and if you are physically attacked, do not be afraid to defend yourself. Take martial arts classes so that you can learn how to protect yourself.

    Find Ways to Make New Friends

    • If you do not have support at your school, get involved in other places such as a church group, volunteer organization or other place where you will be surrounded by positive people. Positive people give you energy to deal with bullies who want to ruin your day. If you are positive and unbreakable, the bully will leave you alone.

      If you are being severely bullied, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention help line 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

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