Just discovered your child is a bully at school? How do you handle it?

Anybody may be a bully, no matter whether he/she is an extrovert or introvert or whether he/she is an academic achiever or a struggler with grades! It could be your child. Initially, it may be difficult for you to accept that your child has been a damaging element to his mate at school. You may go into a defensive mode when you hear about it but here is how you can deal with it. Read on.

• Acknowledge the problem: Talk to your child. Find out what drives him to bully. Does he feel ignored and want attention? Does bullying make him feel powerful? Did a video game or a film influence him? Is he emulating other bullies at school?
• Be a hands-on parent: When your child replies to your questions, be willing to listen. Monitor his activities. Is he overdoing social networking sites? Is he watching violent content on TV? Find out these things and also find out who your child’s closest friends are.
• Teach positive attitude: Involve your child in creative activities that cultivate talents and require teamwork. It will help your child use his time and energy productively. He will also learn to change his behavior.
• Seek professional help: Sometimes a situation calls for more than parental intervention. It’s not a taboo to take your child to see a professional counselor.

Make sure you take care of the issue before it gets out of hand. If the behavior continues you may later have to deal with an angry adult or an adult with low self-esteem.

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