My child is a bully

If your child often tries to explain away misdeeds with 'We were just having fun …', 'She started it …', 'He made me … ', 'What? I didn't do anything …' you may just have a bully in the making living under your roof.

• You must act promptly to nip this behaviour in the bud and make your child understand very clearly that his behaviour is unacceptable and that you won't tolerate it.
• You need to teach your child to manage and articulate his feelings in ways that don't hurt other people.
• You will also have to help him 'unlearn' bad habits - teach him other ways of behaving.

If your child is a bully, take a look at her home life and consider:

• The way you discipline your child - are you using bullying tactics yourself?
• The way you deal with conflict. Have you taught her effective problem-solving skills?
• The ways you communicate with your child. Are you positive or negative?
• Whether your child is anxious or frightened about her home life.
• The types and amount of TV/ games/ computer time she is experiencing? Is she being exposed to inappropriate or violent material?

Find out more about bullying:

• Helping when your child is bullied
• How bullies pick their victim
• My child is a bully
• What makes a bully
• What is bullying
• Bullying definitions
• Facts and figures about bullying
• Is your child being bullied
• How to deal with bullying
• What parents can do about bullying
• When your child is a bully, here's what to do
• How to talk about bullying and cyber bullying
• Cyber bullying: here's what it is and how to tackle it
• How parents can prevent bullying
• School policies on bullying

 

This article was written by Ella Walsh for Kidspot. Sources include SA Government's Parenting and Child Health, Bullying No Way and Vic. Govt's Better Health Channel