Monday, April 25, 2011

Signs your child is being bullied

It is interesting, some children will just come out and tell you they are being bullied, others are tragically, ashamed ( even though they should not be) and won't even tell their parents. Still others, drop clues.

Sometimes as parents, our job looks a bit like a detective. We don't always understand what we are seeing, which is a clue that tells us we need to investigate.

Bullied children may exhibit one or more of the following symptoms:

-Does not want to go to school
-Frequent sicknesses such as stomachaches and headaches
-Looking down frequently
-Avoiding eye contact
-More somber moods
-School work declining
-Eating more or less than usual
-Difficulty sleeping
-Sleeping too much
-Agitated, jumpy
-Paranoid
-Asking questions like, "what if I was homes-chooled?"
-Skipping social events
-Increased isolation
-Crying, moody and depressed

If you suspect anything, start doing a little informal digging. Start asking questions, look at phone call and text histories. Ask friends parents ( in a way they will not suspect), listen to conversations with friends,  review their emails (with or without permission).

If you find your child is being bullied the first step is to get the facts: who, what, where, why and when.
It is really important to make sure you have all the facts before you call the school or the bully's parents.

Most important stay calm and respectful.

Then, call the school and ask for meeting. Remember you could be saving your child's reputation and much more important, a life .

More to come..... See solutionsforbullying.com for free resources designed to help parents and schools
stop the bullying and get children back to happiness.

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