What if your child the the one doing the bullying?

Your reaction?

BEMA Internnational

Is It Bullying?

Not sure how to identify bullying? First, you need a full understanding of what bullying is, and what it is not . Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. There are three main forms of bullying:

Verbal bullying
Social bullying
Physical bullying

If you are unsure if a behavior could be considered bullying, ask the following questions:

Is it aggressive?
Does one person have more power in the situation?
Are the actions unwanted and repeated?

If the answer is “yes” to one or all of these, then the behavior could be considered bullying.

Is My Child Being Bullied?
There are many warning signs that can help you identify if a child is being bullied. These warning signs are often in plain sight and easily overlooked. Look for the following signs in a child who you suspect may be experiencing bullying:

Unexplained injuries
Changes in eating habits
Difficulty sleeping
Sudden loss of friends
Declining grades

Is It Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying tactics include:

Posting comments or rumors about someone online that are mean, hurtful, or embarrassing
Threatening to hurt someone or telling them to kill themselves
Posting a mean or hurtful picture or video
Pretending to be someone else online in order to solicit or post personal or false information about someone else
Posting mean or hateful names, comments, or content about any race, religion, ethnicity, or other personal characteristics online
Creating a mean or hurtful webpage about someone

Cyberbullying can occur through text, social media, forums, or gaming platforms where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying can be relentless, increasing the likelihood of anxiety and depression. Some forms of cyberbullying can cross the line into criminal activity.

Learn more about how you can help prevent cyberbullying.

Other Resources for Identifying Bullying and Cyberbullying

If you know someone in serious distress or danger, don’t ignore the problem. Get help right away.
Watch the video: “Is it Cyberbullying?”
Download our “How to Prevent Cyberbullying” guide for parents, caregivers, and youth to learn how to:
- Document
- Report
- Support
Solutions to bullying are not simple. Bullying prevention approaches that show the most promise confront the problem from many angles.
In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Department of Education released the first federal definition of bullying.