GREENSBORO, N.C. — October is National Bullying Prevention Month. It can be a complex topic for families to discuss bullying, as no parent wants their child to be a bully's victim. Preventing bullying requires people to speak up when they see bullying behavior, which may not be easy for some, particularly children.
Building your child's resiliency is an important step in battling bullying. Resiliency allows kids to brush off hurtful comments and names because they know that whatever the bully says isn't true and is a reflection of the bully, not them. However, this doesn't mean that it stings a little bit. The more resilient they are, the easier it is for them to bounce back.
An effective way to help kids stand up to bullying is to teach them to be assertive. This means saying something when someone says something that they don't like or hurts their feelings. For example, let's say that a friend calls your kid a chicken for not wanting to climb a tree. You can teach your kid to say, "I don't like being called names. Please stop." Many times, kids aren't sure what to say in various situations. Role-playing different scenarios at home with mom and dad would be beneficial. Practice starts at home. Allow your kids to practice setting up boundaries and assertively protecting those boundaries. For example, let your kids say, "Stop, I don't like it when you X, Y, Z." You want your kid's assertiveness to be second nature to them.
Sometimes, kids say the right words but don't look convincing, meaning the bully might not take them seriously. This is why body language is critical. You want your child to stand confidently with feet hip distant apart. Back straight. Shoulders back. Head level. Project a strong voice as they speak up for themselves. The combination of powerful words and confident body language sends the message that bullying isn't tolerated.
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