That a child may be being bullied or bullied at school is one of the biggest concerns of parents, and it is not always easy to find out. Among the most common warning signs are: refusal to go to school; skipping classes or taking a new route to attend; being irritable; being overly hungry after school; have unexplained bruises or scratches; to be in a bad mood; be cruel to siblings; feeling unhappy or having suicidal thoughts in the worst case. Each of these symptoms can be due to other causes, but if many of them are observed to occur in a short time, it is likely that the child in question is being bullied.
In these cases, parents may have many doubts about how to act correctly so that everything ends, but it is important to know that if the bullying is not effectively ended , the situation could have devastating effects on the child, such as social isolation, low self-esteem or depression. Subsequently, the victim may also have difficulties developing and maintaining relationships based on trust or could develop stress-related illnesses, which sometimes degenerate into substance use.
But then, how should a child who is bullied be helped? How can you educate yourself in nonviolence in the classroom and at home ? Well, to begin with, teaching the little ones to be safe without being aggressive.
Ways to respond to bullying without violence
If your child suffers from this problem, or you think he might be, have him repeat the words of the person who is trying to bully him and then respond to them by neutralizing the insult.
Another trick to teach your child is to invite the abuser to repeat what he just said. Because bullies are often cowards , they rarely have the courage to insult again, which can help slow down their attacks.
Tell your child to imagine that he is inside a protective bubble on which the insults of those who seek to intimidate him bounce. If you do your best to view this image, you will be less sensitive to attack. This method also helps young people to regain control of themselves when they are subjected to criticism that paralyzes them. Also make sure that the child in question makes friends outside of the circle from which the bullying comes. If you are part of a theater company, sports club, orchestra or choir, you will share with new friends activities that will help you regain your confidence.
Tactics to release positive and negative emotions
The next time you watch a cartoon or read with your children, encourage them to observe the body language of the characters. In the Tom and Jerry cartoons, for example, Tom always stands tall and menacing, while Jerry crouches down and hides. However, when the latter decides not to be the victim, he puffs up his chest to give the impression that he is large. Encourage your children to identify positions that make them seem confident and far from shyness.
Children can write down times when they have felt bullied or bullied in a notebook . By describing the attacks they have suffered and the emotions they have experienced, they will learn to cope with the sadness, anger and feelings of injustice around them. Children who are too young to write can make a collage or picture of what happened or what they experienced so that it can have positive and liberating effects as well. Children who feel angry and become violent sometimes bullying others also feel better after drawing.
Other strategies to apply against bullying
If you are a teacher, organize a brainstorming session to find strategies to reject these types of behaviors . When children discover rejection strategies that they are comfortable with, they are better able to defend themselves.
If you are a parent, encourage your children to trust their teachers. Some people feel unable to talk about their problems, but can write down what happened or show a trusted person diaries or notes in which they tend to record day-to-day things or specific problems.
If bullying persists or if the victim ends up injured in any way, it is important not to wait any longer to take concrete measures: inform the school and teachers and, if necessary, more people around, especially the management when it comes to schools, until the case is taken seriously and all the events that have occurred are noted. Nor should you hesitate to call the police when threats or danger are evident .
Children who have gone through difficult periods due to bullying at school, need to find a calm environment in their home, so it is vitally important to know and solve the problem in time on the part of parents and family, as well how to put measures so that all children grow up being aware of the need to live in a peaceful world.
