“Life will knock us down, but we can choose whether or not to get back up”
– Jackie Chan, The Karate Kid
Families and teachers are not always present to stop a bully. Nevertheless, children can be taught skills that can help them fend themselves from early stages in life. Assertiveness by verbalizing their thoughts and emotions can benefit a child from being intimidated. Young children may have trouble knowing that someone is a “bully” hence explaining to them the word and understanding of the terminology is important.
Here are some tips to help you get started.
Encourage Assertiveness: Hitting or pushing back is not okay for toddlers but moving away from a mean or careless child or saying “Stop!” is appropriate. Encourage them to speak up for their needs and express their feelings clearly and confidently. Playtime and classrooms are great settings to learn to respect others while being assertive in responding is an important tool to help them express themselves. Teach the little ones to take turns and sharing are important skills too to build the character of a child.
Role-Play: By simulating real-life situations, children can learn how to handle challenging interactions with friends or adults. Ask your child to think through what are the possible responses to handle a certain situation
- Who would you tell if someone was pushing you in the play area?
- What would you say to someone who called you names?
- How could you respond if other students excluded you from a game?
Playtime together with peers encourage learning to respect
Provide Support and Guidance: Providing ongoing support and guidance is crucial as children learn to stand up for themselves by encouraging them to talk about their day.
Ways for children learning to stand up for themselves
Co-curricular Activities: Get your child interested in activities that involve team work that builds confidence and resilience in children. This will provide your child the opportunity to build important social skills, learning to manage different characters while making new friends.
Building the confidence and resilience in children through team work
In conclusion, by teaching your child how to deal with bullies effectively will help them to navigate the world with strength, resilience, and confidence.
Helping children to navigate the world with strength, resilience, and confidence for their future