Characteristics
of students who bully
The truth is, students who bully are hard to spot because they've
learned to bully when adults aren't watching. Bullying isn't always
blatant. Sometimes children who consciously ignore or whisper about
another child are bullying. There are, however, some signs to watch
for.
Your child may be bullying if they:
- Have trouble concentrating in class ;
- Start skipping school or their grades drop;
- Get into frequent fights;
- Have a lack of respect for adults and other authority figures;
- Lack empathy or compassion for others and feel very little guilt for hurting others;
- Suddenly acquire large amounts of money or possessions you know they can't afford;
- Engage in making racist and homophobic slurs;
- Tease, or insult other students or exclude them from social events.
What parents
can do if their child exhibits bullying behaviour
If your child exhibits bullying behaviour, there are a number of
actions you can take:
- Discuss your concerns with your child;
- Make the point that bullying is not acceptable at any time;
- Discuss how words or actions can hurt others;
- Decide on a logical consequence for the behavior, such as apologizing to the child who's been hurt;
- Model the kind of behavior you want to see, remember children learn best through example;
- Encourage your child to have friends over after school or on the weekend;
- Get your child involved in something he or she is good at and enjoys such as art classes, music lessons, or sports; it helps build self-confidence;
- Discuss and model non-violent ways to cope with anger.
For more information on how you can prevent violence, call 1-888-606-LIVE. To report and/or prevent a crime or to get more information, youth are encouraged to contact the confidential Youth Against Violence line (1-800-680-4264). In an emergency, they should contact their local police department or 911.
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