Children become victims of bullying at school? face with these 5 steps

No parent can imagine that one day their son and daughter will become a victim of bullying. Bullying, also known as bullying, is still a big homework for schools, parents, and especially the children themselves. So what can parents do if a child turns out to be a victim of bullying? Here are the tips.

How to help children who are bullied at school

1. Make children feel safe and comfortable at home

The first thing you have to do is make your child feel safe and comfortable with you at home. The reason is, at school or their social environment, children already feel threatened and fearful.

Therefore, make sure that the conditions at home are calm, supportive, and safe for children. When children talk about their experiences of being bullied, listen calmly and patiently. Don't rush or interrupt her story so she feels safe enough to tell you.

You also have to assure your little one that you will always be there to support him in facing this problem. Also tell him that you are not angry or disappointed with him, that the child is not wrong. What's wrong is only the bully, aka the perpetrator.

2. Notify the school

There is a high probability that bullying occurs at school. If this is the case, immediately discuss this matter with the school such as a teacher or counselor. Often times, the school does not know about bullying because the new children act when there are no teachers around.

3. Help children find solutions together

Child victims of bullying usually feel helpless, hopeless, and afraid. Therefore, it is important for you to empower children to find solutions to their own problems. Problem-solving skills can come in very handy, even into adults. The problem is, bullying usually occurs when the child is alone, without a parent or teacher.

For example, a child tells a story that every day the bully takes his supplies. Lure the child by asking, "What do you think you can do to make him stop taking your food?". Well, here the children's answers can vary and may surprise you. Remain calm and direct the child to find solutions.

For example, by saying, "So if you push him down, do you think the next day he will stop bothering and take your supplies?". That way, children will be trained to think about the consequences of every action and word carefully.

Make sure that the child feels the solution comes from himself, not dictated by both parents.

4. Train children's reactions

Dealing with bullies is not easy. The child should not overreact so that it can trigger the offender's emotions even more, but keeping silence will not change the situation either.

Then what should the child do? Reply to the offender in short, firm, clear words. For example, "Stop making fun of me,", "Shut up," or, "Not funny, ”then immediately left the perpetrator. If by chance your child can't go anywhere, just stay away from the perpetrator and don't bother anymore.

Remind your child not to react with violence or harsh words as the situation can turn 180 degrees. If your child is no longer able to deal with it, seek adult help.

You need to keep reminding your child the importance of reacting appropriately when faced with bullying.

5. Report to the authorities if the case is serious

In certain cases, your child may be the victim of severe bullying. For example, the perpetrator uses threats of violence, sexual harassment, or has even committed acts of violence against children. This is no longer the domain of the school or between parents, but must be prosecuted through legal channels.

However, it would be better if you notify the school first before reporting the perpetrator. The school may offer to mediate, but in the cases mentioned above, you still have to go to the police to protect your child.