How to cope with child bullying
Never ever get into a fight with other parents
A few months ago we all saw the infamous Spur video that left us agape in horror.
Two parents, one male and one female, got into a heated argument when the one parent came to report that the other parent’s child had slapped his. This escalated into an almost physical altercation between the parents, prompting the video to go viral and causing an outcry on social media.
The video reminded us that parents don’t usually know how to handle a situation when their child is in the wrong or on the receiving end of ill-treatment by another child.
Social worker Tshireleso Molebatsi says that there are ways in which parents can resolve such disputes in the correct manner, so we put various scenarios to her to advise parents about how to act should they find themselves in such situations.
Witnessing your child strike another child
Do not panic. Do not react aggressively towards your child. Humiliating them by shouting at them or even spanking them in front of the other child may be what your natural instincts call for, but try to refrain from that.
Instead, firstly comfort the other child and apologise. Then take your child aside and tell them that it is wrong to hit others, despite what the other child might have done.
Next, take your child by the hand and make them apologise to the other child, and acknowledge their wrongdoing. This will teach them to resolve disputes in a calm and amicable manner instead of resorting to violence.
How to handle your child being hit by another child
Some parents instantly want to fight when their child comes crying to them about an incident with another child.
Do not fight. Instead, check to see if the other child’s parents are in the vicinity. If so, calmly walk over and explain what occurred.
Give them a chance to absorb the news, and allow them to take disciplinary action over their child.
Whatever you do, do not fight with the other parent. If they get aggressive, simply walk away and address the issue when emotions are not so raw.
How to handle your child being bullied at school
If you are called in to school because your child is being bully, do not go into a defensive mode. Listen attentively to the teacher who has brought this issue up with you, accept any disciplinary measures by the school and address it with your child.
Most kids who are bullies are often masking an underlying issue, perhaps neglect, so this is definitely a red flag for you as a parent to get to the bottom of what is going on with your child. You can get a therapist to determine what triggers this kind of behaviour.
How to handle your child being bullied
Firstly, be thankful that the issue came to light, because most kids often suffer in silence.
If the school addresses both you and the parents of the other child, do not be aggressive towards them.
Find out from the school what measures will be put in place to ensure that this type of behaviour does not persist, and finally, get your child to see a therapist to address any psychological impact this may have had on your child.