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A Fight to End Bullying

Follow these tips to help your children avoid being bullied.
December 2nd, 2016 by: Misty Miloto

A recent report by WalletHub found that Louisiana is the second worst state in the nation (behind Michigan) for bullying. Even worse, Louisiana has the highest percentage of high school students who attempt suicide. According to the National Education Association, more than 160,000 children miss school every day out of fear of being bullied. Bullying can range from name-calling to severe physical violence, and it can happen to anyone.

“There seems to be a higher rate of victimization among males,” says Jeff Leffler, visiting assistant professor and executive director for the Center for Child Development at The University of Southern Mississippi. “It also seems that the younger the child, the more likely they are to be bullied. This becomes very important in kindergarten when many children are starting formal schooling. The experiences of this grade level impact the child’s perspective of school throughout their childhood and into their teen years.”

Some of the warning signs that your child is being bullied include unexplained cuts or bruises; damaged or missing clothing, books, school supplies or other belongings; taking unnecessarily long routes to school; and asking to stay home sick because of frequent complaints of headaches, stomachaches or other ailments. Here are some steps to take if your child is being bullied:

  • teach your child to exude confidence and to stand up for his or herself;
  • consider enrolling your child in self-defense classes;
  • teach your child to avoid the bully as much as possible;
  • explain to your child that if the bully doesn’t get a reaction, they will likely get bored and stop the bullying;
  • and remind your child to always tell an adult.