Communication Tips for
Parents and Caregivers
Talking
about bullying can be difficult. For adults, it can be
uncomfortable to remember experiences they had with
bullying as a kid. Bullying can be traumatic .
Years later, people can still feel the sting from receiving
an insult or become overwhelmed with guilt and shame by the
memory of hurting a friend’s feelings.
This is exactly why parents and caregivers need to talk to
kids about bullying. Not sure where to begin? Here are some
tips that can
make starting the conversation a little less awkward.
- Keep
it casual.
While you’re eating breakfast on the weekend, ask
something straightforward like, “What was the best and
worst thing that happened last week?”
- Be
honest about your experiences. Share an age-appropriate story about an
experience you had with bullying. Start with, “Did I
ever tell you about ….?” Be sure to share how the
experience made you feel at the time.
- Be
curious.
Let your kid know that you’ve been hearing about
cyberbullying lately and ask if they have ever seen
it. Show them you want to learn more by asking
questions about things they may have witnessed and how
they handled the situation.
- Listen
without judgment. Bullying affects everyone and every
situation is different. Kids can play many roles in
bullying. Let them know you are there for them no
matter what.
- Ask
open-ended questions. If the child witnessed something and
they aren’t sure if it was teasing
or bullying, asking questions like “Do you think
this incident was meant to make someone look bad?”
will allow you to get more information about what
happened.
- Stay
calm.
Remember, the goal is to hear about their experience,
provide support, and help prevent it from happening
again. If you seem angry or upset, a kid might not
feel as comfortable sharing information with you.
Determine if you will need to talk to the school about
what your child has shared.
- Be
supportive.
If your child shares that they have bullied someone,
they will need your help to learn from the experience
and find healthy ways to interact with peers. Bullying
is a behavior that can be changed.
If you find out bullying has
occurred, you, your kid's school, or community officials
can work together to support your child, whether they were bullied,
bullied
others, or witnessed
bullying. Remember to review our tips for reporting cyberbullying as
well.
Learn more on StopBullying.gov
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