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Child Safety: Violence and Bullies
Did you know that 6.5 million boys and 3.5 million girls are involved in fights every year on school grounds in America? Plus, 4.5 million students are threatened with bodily harm each year, with almost 2 million students being robbed.
Bullying has become a very serious "Hot" topic today. It's been in the news, and the theme of several talk shows in
the past year. The problem has been around for as long as people have been around, but it's only recently that
we've become aware enough to do something about it.
Is your child being bullied?:
Mental and physical signs for parents to look for to find out if their child is being bullied include: Cuts, bruises, torn
clothing, headaches and/or stomach pains before it's time to go to school, or a reluctance to go to school, poor
appetites, poor grades, decline/withdrawal from usual activities, anxiety, not many friends, always loses money,
depression, fear, anger, and relates better to adults and teachers than children.
Physical and Emotional Abuse:
It also helps to understand the different types of abuse the bully can inflict. This can vary from physical (juvenile
violence) to verbal, and include mental control tactics. (Crushing your self-esteem). The bully's pattern of physical abuse might include: pushing, tripping, slapping, hitting, wrestling, choking, kicking,
biting, stealing, and breaking things. (80% of the time bullying becomes physical). The bully's pattern of verbal abuse might include: twisting your words around, judging you unfairly, missing the
point, passing blame, bossing, making you self-conscious, embarrassing you, making you cry, confusing you, and
making you feel small so he/she can feel big.
When does bullying begin:
Children between the ages of 5-11 begin using verbal abuse, and are capable of some physical abuse such as fist
fighting, kicking, and choking. However, once a child reaches the age of 12, psychological changes take place and
the bullying becomes more violent. This might include the use of weapons and sexual abuse.
Murder between children was up 35% in 1997. Today's 3, 4, and 5 year-olds could grow up to be a generation of
serial killers. Some signs to watch for in younger children include setting fires, and torturing animals.
Why might some children bully?:
Usually bullies come from middle-income families that do not monitor their activities. The parents of bullies are
either extremely tolerant and permissive, and allow them to get away with everything, or physically aggressive and
abusive. However, the parents are not always the cause. There are many very loving and caring parents who do not
understand what went wrong. Other reasons why kids slip into their "bully suits" might include violence on tv/movies, and the influence of
"bully" friends. You can't watch your child while he/she is at school, so there is the possibility of him/her hanging out with a child (or
children) of negative influence. Sometimes kids admire bullies for their strength, or befriend them so as to stay on
their good side! So if you're a wonderful parent knocking yourself for what you did wrong, understand what a strong influence other
peers can have on your child.
Characteristics of a bully:
Bullies need to be in control of situations, and enjoy (gain power from) inflicting injury on others. They have less
commitment to school and teachers. Usually taller and stronger than other children their own age, bullies see the
world with a paranoid's eye. They see threats where none exist and believe that their anger and aggressiveness is
justified. The bully might lash out at people because he's (or she's) angry about something. Maybe someone in his life is
bullying him. He could be hurting from abuse he received in the past, or maybe he grew up observing those around
him using violence as a means of settling differences. Sometimes jealousy is the culprit. He needs to feel better about himself in order to change, and to stop bullying.
Or, in a worse case scenario, he might actually be a sociopath, in which case he/she would need to get professional help.
What can parents do to prevent their children from getting bullied?:
Tell your children to walk or play with friends, not alone, and to avoid empty buildings and alleys. Make a list with the child as to where they are allowed to go, and
places where they can get help. Know your child's friends and make sure that other adults in his/her life understand your view of teasing and
violence. Teach your child to be strong and kind!
If your child is being bullied:
Get some Bully Advice for Kids!
If your child is a victim, he needs to know that he's ok, and not the one with the problem. Have him tell his school
guidance counselor the name of the bully who is victimizing him. Or you might try talking to the principal or his
teachers directly. And if you know the parents of the bully, you might try confronting them as well. However, there's
a good chance they'll either be in denial, or be as unconcerned as their child.
If physical abuse is the problem, and you're afraid of angering the bully (revenge), tell the teacher, or whomever,
not to pass on your or your child's name while settling the situation unless it's absolutely necessary. There's a good
chance he's victimizing other children as well, and won't need to know exactly who busted him.
Children who use violence to resolve conflicts, grow up to be adults who use violence to resolve conflicts. However,
if a child is backed up against a wall, or into a corner, then he obviously needs to defend himself and should not
stand there while getting pounded. He could walk (or run) away. But in order to escape conflict in the first place, the
child should ignore, or avoid the bully. Don't play with (or for older kids "hang out" with) the bullies, and don't play
or hang out "near" them. Teach your child to only fight back if he/she *needs* to defend himself, as a last resort.
Young people need to believe in themselves in order to feel better. (self-esteem) Not by winning a fight, or even
being part of a fight that he/she didn't initiate. In order to be a strong person, you have to learn what to say at the
right time, and believe in what you are saying. ("I won't fight you because it is wrong" or "This isn't what friendship
is about") Walking away from the fight, knowing you are the *better* person, is a lot healthier for the body and
mind.
If verbal abuse is the problem, your child could try confronting the bully himself. Get him alone. Bullies like to show
off by embarrassing you in front of a group of people. They might not be so tough without a crowd. Tell your child to
be firm, stick up for himself, and tell the bully, "I don't like what you're doing to me, and I want you to stop."
If the child is old enough to reason, have him tell the bully how it feels to be bullied. Don't stress what the bully did,
or the accusations might make him defensive. Then he'd be less likely to listen. If he's willing to listen at all, he
might be willing to change. However, if he's unwilling to listen and starts getting nasty, your child is better off
staying away from him, or ignoring him. But if his verbal abuse turns into threats, notify someone in authority.
Sometimes having things/property stolen victimizes a child. Putting your child's name on everything is an important
thing to do. This means each and every crayon! It also helps to not allow him/her to take things of any major
importance or value to school. Again, if nothing else works, have the bully reported.
What you can do:
For the past 10 years child on child violence has been increasing in America. Physical abuse, sexual assault, sexual
harassment and robbery have driven many victims to substance abuse or suicide.
If you'd like to teach your child the skills he/she needs to handle bullies and maintain a healthy self-esteem, order a copy of "Taking the Bully by the Horns" by Kathy Noll & Dr. Carter through Amazon.com's secure server!
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Copyright © Kathy Noll & Dr. Jay Carter, Authors of "Taking the Bully by the Horns". Reprinted with permission.
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