Guidance for parents, guardians & teachers to help prevent bullying
Unfortunately, bullying during childhood is incredibly common. And, surprisingly, it is not uncommon for a child to be both a victim and perpetrator of bullying behaviour.
But as parents, guardians and teachers, fortunately, there are some tried-and-tested measures we can all take around bullying to help improve the well-being and emotional state of kids in our care. Read on to find out more.
Identify the signs early
From a young age, children will experiment with different behaviours, some of which may be precursors to bullying. Examples might include, shouting, whispering secrets, calling others silly names, pushing, grabbing objects, making mean faces, falsely accusing others or refusing to play or share toys with other children. Whilst these behaviours may not be categorised as bullying or even be deliberately designed to hurt others, but if a child displays a trend towards these behaviours, it is important to educate them in how it might make someone else feel.
Discover the origin of the behaviour
Children have different experiences growing up; home-life settings, involvement with other children and exposure to different media. All of these things can have an impact on a child’s behaviour and can influence whether they engage in or become a victim to bullying at some point in their life. For instance, if a child experiences or is exposed to negligence, violence or physical and verbal abuse, this could increase their likelihood to engage in or become a victim of bullying. However, this is by no means definitive; children from more apparently caring and privileged environment still engage in bullying or are victims of it. Other influences, such as the media, siblings and friendships can also directly influence a child’s involvement in bullying. Identifying these causes of behaviour and addressing them before they escalate is crucial in tackling bullying.
Don’t overlook bullying or poor behaviour
No one likes to think their child might be a bully, but if bullying behaviour is downplayed and not tackled when a child is young, you increase the risk of it developing into more serious behavioural issues when they are older. It is not always easy, but by not tackling the behaviour early, you also increase the chances of other siblings or friends copying and mirroring it. From an early age, try and educate your child in what is acceptable and what is non-acceptable behaviour. Any signs of bullying or poor behaviour should be flagged up and addressed appropriately.
An anti-bullying policy
Parents, guardians and teachers have a responsibility to attempt to create a bullying-free environment for our kids. Schools will certainly have an anti-bullying policy already in place. As a parent, guardian or teacher, take the time to familiarise yourself with it. It is important that this policy is consistently enforced in the classroom and playground, but also at home. Involve children in age-appropriate discussions about good and bad behaviour and encourage them to contribute ideas to making their world a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone. As part of this, don’t forget to reward good behaviour.
Create an open and caring environment
Children need to feel safe and be able to talk openly about any concerns or difficult feelings they are having. Schools should have practical sources of support their pupils can access easily, such as mentors, counsellors, mediators, support programmes or sessions on well-being, where children can discuss as a group or 1-1 about worries they have, whether that be about friendships, stress, bullying and more. It is also important for parents to try and replicate this environment at home, so their children feel comfortable to approach them and talk about any issues they are experiencing. Studies have shown that some children are more likely to open up and talk about their feelings when they are doing something active or creative, such as drawing, helping with the washing up or baking, so making time for these types of activity with your children is a good way to foster a scenario where your child feels comfortable to express their feelings. A formal conversation can often have the opposite effect.
Educate children in social skills
From a young age, it benefits kids to be taught a variety of social skills, so that they can learn what appropriate social behaviour looks like. This helps them to develop friendships and has been shown to prevent bullying before it starts. There are many mediums you can use to teach social skills to kids; story-telling, role-playing, games, presentations and discussions are just a few.
Studies have shown that there are three particularly important social skills involved in helping bullying prevention: empathy, assertiveness and problem solving. Children who can empathise and care for others, stand up for themselves in a fair and respectful manner, face challenges and solve problems in a constructive, non-aggressive way are notably more likely to tackle and prevent bullying.
Learn Happie supports schools in Hampshire by providing a safe, healthy and happy environment for young children. Our fitness, nutrition and mental health programme encourages good behaviour and the prevention of bullying by promoting a positive learning environment and protecting children’s mental health and welfare.