How to Spot Signs of Bullying With Your Child

The first step to bullying prevention is to realize something is going on.

So, what is bullying?

Bullying is repeated, unwanted, and aggressive behavior where someone uses their power, real or perceived, to hurt someone. This can be making fun of or insulting someone, name-calling, causing physical harm, excluding someone on purpose, damaging personal property, and spreading rumors. Cyberbullying takes place online, often through social media, but it can also occur through text, forums, and gaming. Sometimes, it’s anonymous; sometimes, it’s not.

Know the Warning Signs of Bullying

Bullying can be hard to talk about, especially for kids, making it all the more important to know what to watch for and the signs. Even children who typically share openly may not discuss these situations with their parents or teachers.

StopBullying.gov is a great resource to learn more about bullying prevention and find out what you can do—starting at home with your own family.

You can watch for signs of bullying like:

• changes in social behavior
• trouble sleeping or bad dreams
• lower grades or loss of interest in school
• sudden changes in eating habits
• lost or damaged possessions
• complaints of feeling ill or faking being sick

If you notice any of these signs with your child, you can open up a conversation with them to find out if anything else is going on. From there, you can plan and take appropriate next steps, whether speaking to your child’s teacher, meeting with a classmate’s parent, or teaching your child how to block and report others online.

Bullying Is Tough, Talking About it Helps

In addition to knowing the warning signs of bullying, there are things you can do to help your child practice kindness and encourage the kind of community where bullies aren’t welcome in the first place.

You can talk to your kids about:

• what a bystander is, and how you can use your voice to stand up for others
• how important it is to be respectful online and on social media
• understanding the difference between being a tattletale and sharing serious issues like bullying with trusted adults
• practicing empathy and working to understand people who may have different perspectives and experiences

K12 is committed to making sure every student feels comfortable and respected. Together, we can create communities of kindness where inclusivity is important.

You can learn more about how we create safe spaces through our K12 Days of Kindness initiative.

Be a Buddy, Not a Bully

Want to start a low-key chat about bullying at home with your family? Here’s a conversation starter and downloadable checklist that sums up the signs to watch out for and what you can do if you see them.

Find More Resources

There are a lot of great resources out there about bullying prevention. StopBullying.gov is a great website to visit for more tips and tools about dealing with bullying and creating safe spaces. Many of their resources are designed for children, so you can have your child learn about these critical issues from other kids like them. Bringing up the tough topics at home from the perspectives of other kids can be a way to open the conversation.