Bullying - 5 Steps to Stop It

Bullying has been put on the radar at schools.

It is not as if it hasn't been around for a very long time. It's affects are becoming more and more critical and even deadly in some instances.
If your child is experiencing bullying I have 5 steps that will help you stop the bully in his/her tracks.
Maintain Open Communication With Your Child As parents we should always keep the lines of communication open with our kids. We want them to feel good about coming to us and expressing their feelings. Peer pressure amongst children these days is excruciating.

If they don't know how to stand up for themselves they won't. If your child is being bullied the best course of action is to talk it out with them.
Have them explain everything that has happened.

You will need to know when the bullying started and if whether or not they have told anyone adult at school.

Contact The School For A Discussion Call your child's teacher immediately. Voicing your concerns with a one-on-one with the teacher will be a way to get a handle on whats happening.

Teachers are a great resource and are usually aware of who the troubled students are in the school.

Also, your child's school may have a program setup for bully prevention.

Confront the Bullies Parents With A Mediator Present As a parent you may want to confront the parents of the bully. Keep in mind there needs to be a mediator present when this happens.
A mediator can be any school representative such as a teacher or principal or counselor. It is possible that the parents are not aware that their child is a bully.
In this case a sensitive approach is more appropriate.
If the parents are aware that their child is a bully then a mediator will help prevent any outward violence to you.
Have Patience Be patient.

Allow the authorities to intervene and come up with solutions for resolving the issues of the bully. In the meantime, if you can buddy your child up with a neighbor or an older sibling.

Since the teacher is aware of the problem a more watchful eye will be kept on both children.
If a teacher senses that there is still a problem it can be dealt with more directly.
If The Problem Persists Seek Legal Help At this point you have communicated with your child, contacted the school, spoken with the parents and nothing has changed.
Rather than taking matters into your own hands get legal advice.

Contact law enforcement officials or an attorney.
Never take it upon yourself to take on the parents by yourself, it could result in legal action against you.

There is help.

Most schools have programs put in place to keep bullies in check.
Programs may offer questionnaires for students, bully prevention committees and school events.

Check with your school to see what programs and help is available.
Offer to help and get your child involved.