Which makes an anti-bullying program effective?
Bullying is quickly turning into a deadly, life-threatening epidemic that frightened kids can rarely escape. Sadly, this has caused numerous distressing effects for the victims, both mentally and physically.
Bullying has occurred frequently recently in the UK and America, particularly among college and high school students, and many of these incidents have had negative and irreversible effects.
Anger and condemnation have been expressed on social media in response to an online video depicting an Indian American teenager being tormented in Texas. The student being tormented was captured on film by classmates, who then posted it online.
One kid can be seen approaching the Indian American child sitting on a bench and ordering him to stand up. The American student becomes enraged and begins choking him when he refuses to vacate his seat. Then, after choking the youngster and forcing him into his seat, he slams his elbow against the boy’s neck from behind.
The incident happened at Texas Coppell Middle School. Additionally, there is an online petition in support of the Indian American Boy, which has received more than 150,000 signatures.
Tyler Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers University, and Phoebe Prince, a high school student in Massachusetts, both committed suicide as a result of bullying, according to two stories that propelled the epidemic into the national limelight.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, this epidemic forces 160,000 kids a day to skip school because they are afraid of being harassed. Unexpectedly, according to Tyler’s parents, the school declined to do anything, not even observing a moment of silence in Tyler’s memory.
The information that Tyler’s death was openly made fun of by bullies and other students at school was possibly even more startling. Bullying can happen sporadically or frequently.
According to the Crisis Prevention Institute, one in ten bullied children experiences daily bullying, while one in five victims experiences bullying once or twice a month.
It was noted that even if the victim of bullying could predict when it would happen, teachers and staff might not always be able to stop it. In fact, school administration is frequently unaware of the initial bullying behaviors.
Schools are working hard to stop this social problem, which calls on both teaching and administrative staff to contribute. However, schools cannot adequately shield children from bullying on their own. It must begin at home, and parents must take part in keeping their children safe from bullies.
Nine tips to assist parents and educators in stopping bullying.
1. Be Accessible
Parents who talk to their children freely about their friends from an early age help create strong contact with them. They get comfort in knowing that you care about what they do and that you will always have their back.
Encourage them to discuss their day in detail. Ask them open-ended questions to elicit a reaction. “Your questions shouldn’t just be attempts to engage them in conversation; instead, you should listen to them and learn from the responses they give you about their concerns, uncertainties, and happiness.”
2. Teach children about bullying.
Early on, kids start to learn appropriate behavior. They imitate your behavior by watching what their parents do. Therefore, it is crucial to treat everyone with respect at all times. Be kind and friendly to others, and remember to use the words “please” and “thank you.” Children will imitate your behavior and adopt these positive traits.
Educating young children on the importance of respecting themselves and others can aid in the development of positive, lifelong relationships.
“Explain to your child the value of being kind both at home and in school,” he commanded. Teach your youngster the potential consequences of their conduct on other people. This can be accomplished by instilling in them an understanding of honesty and fairness early on.
3. Watch out for signs of bullying.
Not every youngster who is being bullied will show symptoms of it. Get help as soon as you can if you’re concerned, since the repercussions of bullying can be severe and put a child in misery or danger. As a result, parents need to be aware of their children’s subtle warning signs.
Bassey noted that most times, parents ascribe indicators of their kids being tormented to juvenile actions, thereby losing the window period to address their concerns.
Watch out for unexplained injuries, feigning illness or persistent stomachaches or headaches, changes in eating patterns, such as skipping meals and binging, nightmares or trouble sleeping, a lack of desire to attend school, dropping grades, a decrease in enthusiasm for schoolwork, avoiding social situations or a sudden lack of friends, a decrease in self-esteem or a sense of helplessness.
4. Boost your kid’s self-assurance
Youngster who receives support and nurturing is more likely to have higher levels of confidence in themselves. This can lessen their chance of being bullied. Other than introducing children to confidence-boosting hobbies, Bassey pointed out
Parents can talk to their kids about strengthening their own self-esteem.
“These discussions can serve to stabilize your child throughout their life in a big way. He claimed it is much harder to succeed when bullying kids who have strong self-esteem and confidence.
5. Set clear guidelines for bullying.
Schools are supposed to establish rules that let students know what is expected of them and what actions are likely to result in punishment. The rules should also be enforced. This maintains equilibrium in schools. Keep rules simple for younger children, and as they get older, modify them to better suit their level of maturity.
A school administrator emphasized that the policies governing bullying must be explicit and should cover a variety of situations. Rules must impose safety, accountability, and respect. The repercussions of breaking these rules should also be made clear, and if a student breaks any of the rules, punishment must follow to prevent a repeat offense, he continued.
6. Safe routes for communication
Forging a relationship requires communication. When schools establish open lines of contact with students, they will feel more comfortable discussing their issues, including bullying. Meetings with the students are one technique to improve communication. Students can discuss topics unrelated to academics during class meetings, and the administration may benefit from knowing what is going on among the students.
Building secure communication channels with students who want to feel truly heard requires empathic listening.
He declared, “Students should feel free to speak with their professors in person, especially if they believe they have been the victim of bullying. It should be remembered that a bullied kid might not want to speak up in class, especially if the bully is also present. Schools must therefore develop a suitable and secure reporting system to aid such pupils.”
7. Active Parenting
Many people are involved in a typical child’s development and education throughout their lives. The way a child develops is influenced by all of these individuals.
The greatest impact on a child’s life can be had when they collaborate. Engaging parents in a discussion about their child’s behavior can assist in solving the problem, regardless of whether the child is the bully or the victim.
Together, parents and teachers can develop a methodical strategy for introducing substitute behaviors that are more useful and acceptable. As a result, the message is more likely to stick with the child. It may also assist the youngster in identifying instances of bullying by other children.
8. Observe specific areas
Every school has specific areas where bullying happens more frequently, and these are typically places where adults are less likely to be seen, like corridors, bathrooms, playgrounds, and school buses.
Children feel safer and bullying is less likely to occur when an adult is there. Adults need to pay close attention and be on guard when there are several pupils present.
According to a 2012 study cited by CPI, 20% of bullying incidents occurred on school property, on playgrounds, on school buses, when children are walking to and from school, or in lunchrooms, while 47.2 % of bullying occurs in corridors or stairwells, 33.6 % occurs in classrooms.
these behaviors are to establish open communication. These “unsafe” areas must be constantly watched over, thus staff members must cooperate, Williams said.
9. Teach empathy and goodwill
When children can approach concepts and situations from many angles, they’re less inclined to bully others. It is important for students to engage in social and emotional learning exercises. Schools should look for ways to teach kids about their own identities and how others define themselves. Kindness and empathy are needed to do this. The capacity to imagine yourself in another person’s situation is empathy.
Children can learn kindness and empathy at a young age. Schools can teach kids to value the variety of personalities among their peers and classmates. Getting young people together and having a discussion about their differences is one way to do this. Build their capacity for conflict resolution and increase their awareness of others.
Conclusion
It takes dedication to establish a secure atmosphere where kids can grow academically and socially in order to prevent and end bullying. Bullying victims may endure stress, depression, or anxiety. A mental health specialist, such as a psychologist, can assist your kid in building resilience and confidence if bullying is causing them problems at school or with friends. Your child will be better able to succeed socially and intellectually as a result.