Every year, more than 3 million children are bullied while at school. Is your child in this number? Unfortunately, bullying isn't something children are often eager to go tell school officials, or even their parents, about. For this reason, it's helpful when parents are able to recognize some of the signs that suggest a child is dealing with this issue.
Doesn't Want To Attend School
Most children associate the feelings they experience from bullying with school. Since these feelings aren't pleasant, they find resolve in staying away from school as much as they can. A child that was once eager to attend school who is now looking for every reason not to attend, such as a fake claim of illness, should be cause for concern.
While this doesn't have to automatically mean that your child is being bullied, it is an indication that something is going on at school that is making your child not want to attend. You want to investigate nonetheless.
Change In After-school Eating Habits
It's not uncommon for the average child to at least want a light snack after returning home from school. However, when a child is acting as if they haven't eaten all day, you might want to take a closer look. A common tactic among many bullies is to either steal the other student's lunch or take their lunch money.
If your child is all of a sudden coming home ready to devour everything in sight, it's a good idea to sit down with your child to discuss why they aren't eating at school. A child who has an unexplained loss of appetite could also be an indication of bullying.
Bad Behavior
Children who are bullied sometimes start displaying their own bad behaviors. It's not that the habits of the bully are rubbing off on them, but instead a way to act out and display their dismay. Children aren't able to deal with and process their feelings as well as adults.
When a child is sad or hurt, this can sometimes surface as bad behavior. It's also important to understand that this change in behavior isn't restricted to their time in school. Some children also display these behaviors at home, in the form of defiance to their parents or aggressive fighting with their siblings.
If you suspect your child is being bullied it's important to take action. While the first step should be to notify the appropriate school personnel, you don't want to overlook the aide of counseling. Bullying can cause a number of long-term emotional and psychological effects. Working with a counselor can help mitigate these risks.
Share6 September 2016
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