Bullying

What to do if your child is bullying others

Many people may be bullies and not know it.

Your child could become an accidental bully by:

Passing on a nasty text about someone
Laughing at an unkind comment
It's easier to be an accidental bully if it involves email, text etc, because they aren't doing it directly

If your child is bullying:

they could be copying the behaviour of other people in the family, neighbourhood or friends
they might not have learned better ways of mixing with friends
their friends might be encouraging the bullying behaviour
they might be going through a difficult time and acting out aggressive feelings

Encourage your child to admit what they're doing - it takes a lot of courage for them to admit they've done wrong.
Explain to your child that what they are doing is not right and making other people unhappy.
Encourage your child to apologise to the person they've hurt.
Stop family members from using aggression or force to get what they want.
Show your child how to join in with others without bullying.
Speak to your child's school about how you can work together to stop the bullying.
Check regularly with your child about how things are at school.
Give your child praise when they are cooperative and kind to others.
Encourage your child to help others if they see them being bullied, even if the bully is someone they're scared of or a friend. Tell them they should tell a teacher or an adult they trust.