Bullying

Why do kids bully

That's somewhat of a difficult question to answer as there can be many reasons why someone becomes a bully. Here are some of the more common reasons:

They've seen someone else do it.
They've been the victim of a bully.
It helps prevent them from becoming victims themselves.
They have low self-esteem and bullying is a way for them to feel superior to other kids.

But whatever the reasons for bullying, none of them are acceptable. Bullying has an awful effect on the lives of the victims and is something that cannot be tolerated.

Effects of Bullying

According to the US Health Resources and Services Administration, children who bully others are more likely to drop out of high school than kids who do not. In addition to that, 60% of boys who were bullies in middle school had at least one criminal conviction by the age of 24.

The effects on the victim can be even more far reaching. Some people who were bullied as a child never recover.

What you can do if your child is being bullied

If your child is being bullied at school the first thing to do is contact the principal and the teacher—early intervention is the key. Explain to them the complete situation and come up with a course of action.

Explain to your child that it is not their fault and give them the tools they need to cope.
Explain the importance of always telling an adult, and not keeping it in. There is nothing to be ashamed about.
Encourage them to join a club or school group and stay away from situations where they may be alone with the bully.
Some great information on handling bullies, along with tools and games can be found at http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/index.asp?area=main