What is there that makes you madder than finding out that your child is being pestered by a bully at the bus stop? Most frustrating is the fact that if it’s serious, physical bullying, it’s best to just stand by and let your child handle the situation. However, here are some suggestions about how you can help.
⢠Talk about the problem with your child. Listen for feelings as well as facts. Don’t make light of it. Remember that the old adage isn’t true; words can hurt.
⢠If you can remember bullying incidents from your own childhood, talk about them and tell how you handled them.
⢠Suggest that the child gets on or off the bus at a different stop, avoiding the unwanted attention that might be worth the extra walk.
⢠Of course, if the bully is using physical force and hurting your child, you will need to intervene. One way is to walk to the bus stop with your child. Aggressive kids are often insecure, and a little kindly attention may be all that’s needed.
⢠As a last resort, talk things over with the bully’s parents, the bus driver, or the school principal. Physical attacks cannot be ignored.
Vicki Lansky’s practical, common sense approach to parenting is familiar to millions throughout the world. Vicki’s first book, Feed Me, I’m Yours, published in 1974, and still one of the most popular baby/toddler food cookbooks in the country, was followed by The Taming of the C.A.N.D.Y. Monster, a #1 New York Times bestseller. Her other titles include: Toilet Training, Birthday Parties Best Party Tips & Ideas For Ages 1-8, Dear Babysitter Handbook, Welcoming Your Second Baby, Getting Your Child to Sleep … and Back to Sleep, Trouble-free Travel with Children, Baby Proofing Basics and Games Babies Play From Birth to Twelve Months, Koko Bear’s New Potty, A New Baby at Koko Bear’s House, Koko Bear and the New Babysitter, and Koko Bear’s Big Earache. Vicki Lansky’s Divorce Book for Parents: Helping Children Cope with Divorce and Its Aftermath