Parents can help children stand up to bullying

Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina offers bullying prevention tips for parents

All children deserve to grow up in nurturing environments that foster their healthy growth and development. Bullying disrupts those environments and affects everyone involved. Witnessing bullying can be as detrimental to a child as actually being bullied. They may feel afraid and believe if they interfere they will become the bully’s next target. Research shows, however, that when witnesses intervene, the bullying is more likely to stop.
Parents can be a child’s best ally when it comes to helping the child stand up to bullying. One of the best things a parent can do is to take time on a daily basis to talk to their child. Children who know their parents support them are more likely to come to the parent for help in difficult situations. Parents can also support their child by role playing to help them practice what to say in difficult situations and encouraging them to talk to their friends. Studies show that children are more likely to take a stand against bullying when they know their friends also think it is wrong.
Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina believes strong families are the foundation for strong communities. The organization has created an online resource center to help families work together to stand up to bullying. The resource center offers free tools, tips and information for parents, educators, teens and children. To learn more, visit www.preventchildabusenc.org.