Are You Preventing Your Kid from Being a Bully?

School bullying has probably been around as long as there have been schools. At one time, it was even seen as an unavoidable, maybe even important, fact of life. Bullied kids were told to tough it out as a way to learn to be strong. Bullies were ignored or even encouraged. But the last decade or two has seen a shift in public attitude from denial of the negative impact of bullying to concern. News of suicides of some young victims, murder of at least another, and school shootings perpetrated by those on the receiving end of constant belittlement and humiliation have brought the issue to national attention.  The problem is huge. Depending on the study, 10-30% of students report being victimized by their peers. It starts as early as preschool, peaks in middle school, and continues through the high school years. Research isn’t conclusive about gender differences but it seems that boys are more likely to engage in physical threats and actions while girls are more likely to participate in verbal and cyber-bullying, spreading rumors and excluding their victims from their group. Technology has taken the problem out of the school halls and cafeteria and into the airways for both genders.  School systems are bringing in consultants and providing programs to address the problem. But, as is true of most things, schools can do only so much. Prevention of bullying starts at home. There are dozens of articles online about how to help your child avoid being victimized and what parents c...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Bullying Children and Teens Parenting Students Back To School Source Type: blogs