Public schools across the country are getting into the conversation and doing their best to help prevent bullying in their schools. Anti-bullying campaigns have been instituted that include public speakers coming to talk to children about the topic, private online bullying questionnaires, and “Got Your Back” week which focuses on teaching children to support one another. Parents are urged to teach their kids to speak up and tell an authority if they witness bullying at school. Years of research all points to the fact that it’s important to take bullying seriously and not just brush it off. The long-term effects can be serious and greatly impact a child’s sense of self-worth and future relationships.
The definition of bullying is when a person is picked on over and over again by an individual or group. That group is perceived to have more power because of their size or social status and with a “pack mentality” they go after one child due to race, religion, sexual orientation, looks, or meek, quiet demeanor. Children often model behavior they see in the home and bullies tend to come from homes where physical violence and emotional taunting is acceptable. Often there is also a lack of parental involvement and guidance.
A study from the Family and Work Institute reported that 1/3 of children are bullied at least once a month. If you are the parent of a child that has been identified by his school as a bully, early intervention is of utmost importance. Changing home life, becoming more engaged in your child’s life and setting more effective discipline and boundaries are all components to stopping this behavior. Another ideal resource for schools to suggest and parents to utilize are online anger management classes for adolescents.
The main skill that bullies lack is the ability to have empathy or care about others. They tend to have low self-esteem themselves, and use this controlling behavior to feel better about themselves or gain acceptance from others. Online anger management classes are available that are designed specifically to be interesting for children and teens including relatable examples they will enjoy. These classes are easy to take from any web-based computer, privately in the comfort of your own home. There is no need to drive your child across town to a traditional classroom and add in the stress of public embarrassment. Classes are available 24/7 so the child does not need to miss any school or activities to take the course. They can be logged in and out of as many times as it takes to get through the course.
Children with bullying characteristics learn new ways of communicating with others without using intimidation, and how to understand other’s feelings and emotions. They also learn how to manage their own stress, and how to handle their own feelings of inadequacy. Many bullies have underlying anger issues that need to be addressed. Teaching kids good anger management skills while they are young will benefit them with skills that will last a lifetime in every part of their life.
It is extremely important to stop bullying early on. Ignoring the behavior teaches the adolescent that threats and aggression are acceptable and these actions can carry into adulthood. Have your child take an online anger management class now to help prevent further bullying issues.