How To Know If Your Child Is Being Bullied
Most childhood bullying occurs in a school
environment, removed from the safety of the home. As a result, it can be
difficult to determine when your child is being bullied, the extend of the
bullying and when you as a parent need to step in. Here are some tell-tale
signs that could indicate your child is being bullied:
A Reluctance To Go To School
While most children won’t want to go to
school on occasion, a consistent reluctance to go to school could be a sign
your child is being bullied. Children that simply refuse to get up in the
morning, give recurring excuses for staying at home or request early pick-ups
often, could be the victims of bullying. This is particularly evident on a
Monday morning.
In this case, your child is not simply tired
from a week of work but has enjoyed a safe environment over the weekend, and
Monday brings with it a sense of dread. Force your child to go to school,
especially as a teenager, and they may cut class or skip it altogether. If this
is the case its important to check in regularly with the teacher to monitor
attendance.
A sudden change of friends
While swapping and changing friends in
school is common, if your child suddenly drops their entire friendship group or
has a reluctance to see a certain person, this could indicate bullying. This is
particularly common amongst teenage girls. Connecting with other parents and
having an open stream of communication will allow you to pick up on whether
these changes are just part of a natural cycle or if something is amiss.
A Lack Of Interaction
Children that are being bullied, can tend
to withdraw into themselves. They may not be their talkative selves or will
spend extended periods in their room. Any interaction can annoy these children,
causing them to become quick to anger, especially with other siblings.
Children who are being bullied could also
start to become preoccupied with devices, choosing to withdraw into a virtual
world. This can be particularly dangerous as it may be online where most of the
bullying occurs and becoming obsessed with their devices will
perpetuate the problem. Simply taking these devices away is often not the
answer to cyberbullying
as this can lead to your child feeling even more alone and isolated. The
internet is a great space and you can sign up here for fun, but it may
not always be a good place for children. Keep tabs on what they browse and who
they talk to.
Torn Or Lost Clothes
While bruises and broken bones are some of
the most obvious signs of bullying, some of the physical signs may not be as obvious.
With young boys, it's not uncommon for them to come home with mud on their face,
with a lost shoe, a scrape on the knee, or a
torn shirt, but if this becomes more and more frequent it could be a sign that they are being physically bullied.
Always be wary if your child simply cannot
explain these incidents as this could mean they are being bullied on the
playground at recess.
