When you send your happy kid off to catch the bus for school or imagine them running out onto the playground at recess, it is hard to imagine your child being bullied. The truth is bullying happens frequently in school-aged children. As a parent, it can be one of the most challenging things to watch your child go through. How do you know if your child is being bullied, and what can you do? 

Bullying is when someone does something to another to harm, incite, intimidate, or force someone. It could be in the form of negative verbal comments or a negative physical interaction. 

With the right tools, parents can help their children cope with bullying. This blog will explore proactive steps you can take as a parent to support your child if they are being bullied.

Every child and every parenting situation is unique. Raising kids is hard enough on its own, let alone when your child faces an additional challenge, such as bullying. 

Our mission at BLOOM is to consistently provide your child with the care they need while helping you recover time and money, reducing the need for you to travel to and pay for an ever-increasing list of therapists or support teams. Discover our wide range of course topics, including Aggression, Emotional Control and Regulation, Parenting a Needy Child, and more. 

Why Children Bully 

It is common to think that a child acts like a bully because they are insecure. At times, this is indeed the reason. 

However, another factor behind the bullying behavior may be because they don't know where their body is in space, so bullying is their way of provoking other children to hit, push, or give them more sensory input. 

Some kids just need more sensory input; if they incite another child, the other child will retaliate and give them more of that sensory input. As a result of bullying, they may receive more physical touch, a good brawl on the floor, or the child might yell at them. Anything that has more intensity can satisfy their need for more sensory stimulation. When the person being bullied retaliates with too much of the “more”, then the bully often gets hurt, angry or insulted. 

How to Help Your Child Being Bullied 

It’s important to know that parents of a child being bullied can support their child through it. While watching your child go through it can be challenging, having the tools to help your child proactively can be very empowering. 

5 Tips to Help Your Child Cope With Bullying 

1. Validate your child. It is essential first to validate the child and how he feels as the victim of bullying. If they are young, teach them that they are not the problem, they are not doing anything wrong (if that is indeed the case), and it is not okay what the other child is doing. 

2. Explain why the other child is acting this way. You can then try to explain to your child why the other child may be acting this way. You can explain how hurt people hurt people. 

3. Teach them to report bullying. Teach your child to tell an adult in school and let you (their parents) know. Give them positive feedback if they have already told you so they can feel safe telling you if it is recurring. 

4. Do not overreact. As hard as it may be, it is best not to overreact and call the bully's mother. Instead, call the teacher and try to let the teacher work it out. If the teacher cannot, bring the matter up to the principal. 

5. Give your child the tools to ignore it and move on. It's helpful to give your child tools to ignore and snub the bully. Make an effort to teach them that when you ignore it and don’t feed into it, you won't be giving the bully the "more" he is looking for, so he will eventually stop. 

6. Help your child foster good friendships. Having one really good friend can help a child move past the negative effects of bullying. As a parent, help your child identify their a friend and encourage them to cultivate this positive relationship. Help your child plan playdates or encourage family outings with the other child’s family. 

Support for Your Child Being Bullied

Dealing with bullying can hurt a child's confidence. To help rebuild it, encourage your kids to spend time with friends who have a positive influence. Participation in clubs, sports, or other enjoyable activities builds strength and friendships.

Provide a listening ear about tough situations, but encourage your kids to tell you about the good parts of their day and listen attentively so that open communication becomes a habit for everyone. Make sure they know you believe in them and that you'll do what you can to address any bullying.

As a parent, it is also okay to seek outside help to support your child best emotionally. Every child is precious, special, and has unique needs. Especially if your child is experiencing bullying or requires extra care from specialists and other care providers. BLOOM is here to make it easy. 

Our in-depth courses equip you, the parent, to take over key elements of supporting your child with expert instruction and practical methods on everything from motor skills, tantrums, attention issues, sensory issues, and more. We provide videos, exercises, practical guidance, and how-tos to help you support your child so you can grow together.

You gain what you need, plus regain the joy of raising your one-of-a-kind child. BLOOM is available to all parents, and we are ready to welcome you.