Question:
Good afternon,My 13, almost 14 year old is being made fun of at school. I have tried to talk to him about not reacting when kids tease him, but it is easy to say and hard to do. Do you have any suggestions on how to handle the bullys?
Thanks,
Stephanie
Answer:
ParentingTeensOnline Editor, Judith Sachs, answers:
There is nothing more humiliating and scary than being bullied -- and most kids are too embarrassed to tell their parents it's going on. So congratulations that your son has opened up to you. Since he will undoubtedly clam up when you press him about it, you can start the conversation by saying, "I was reading about these kids who stood up to bullies in their school" or say you happened to bump into another mother who's child was being bullied. You can suggest that if it ever happens to him that he not think it's his fault or try to fight back, but instead, to stay calm and stay with a group of his friends whenever possible. If the bullies start to taunt him, he can react by simply saying, "Oh, cut it out, I'm really not interested," and pretend that he's a character in a play who never scared or nervous. You can actually role-play with him and give him "lines" to speak to the bullies. Bullying has become epidemic in middle schools, and many programs now exist in the schools themselves to try to curb this activity, whether it's online or offline. If you are really concerned, make an appointment to talk to the guidance counselor or school principal about instituting an anti-bullying program. You may also want to read our article on Cyberbullying.