Is Your Child Being Bullied?

Is your child being bullied by someone at school?

Too often bullying is dismissed as normal behavior. But when it is happening to your own child, and there are noticeable effects, its hard to chalk it up as "normal". Bullying is not normal, it is a violent act against another.

Did you know that almost 6 million children are involved in bullying? Most kids will hide this harassment from their parents because they are embarrassed that it is happening to them.

What should you look for if you think your child is being bullied? You won't get an answer by simply asking. He or she will not fess up because they fear more intimidation, ridicule, and harassment if they are a "tattle-tale". But, there are many signs that may let you know your child is a victim.

Here are some things to look out for if you think your child may be getting bullied:

Your child may be afraid to go to school. He or she will not want to walk back and forth to school or won't want to ride the bus anymore. If walking, you may find that your son or daughter is frequently tardy, or taking longer than normal to get home. They choose a different route to avoid an encounter with their bully.

All kids get a "boo-boo" here and there, especially when out on a playground. They play too hard, don't pay attention, fall of the jungle gym at school, and come home with a scrape or a bruise. Most times they will describe their great adventure and, especially with boys, will be proud of their "battle wound". But, when they are coming home with too many boo-boo's, and they can't remember how they got that bruise, or the scrape was just an accident - that's a red flag.

Be on the look out for an increase of missing things or items being damaged. Kids are forgetful, so an occasional loss of the lunch box or jacket is not out of the ordinary. If it is more frequent than normal, look further - start labeling the lunch box and clothing. Bullies steal lunch money, lunches, even clothing. And if the bullying gets physical, damage to clothing may occur.

Academic performance will significantly decrease. If your child's grades have declined, it is important to try and talk to them to find out why. Be careful how you approach it, especially if they change the subject quickly when you bring up their day at school. They are ashamed of what is happening to them, so be delicate.

Physical and emotional symptoms can certainly occur in your child. Some of these are coping mechanisms, but you need to be aware if you see any in your child. A loss of appetite, or binge eating, insomnia, and nightmares all could be signs. Frequent complaints of headaches and stomach aches may not just be made up so they can stay home from school, although finding reasons to be able to stay home are signs that bullying may be happening to your child.

It is difficult to prove bullying, and accusing someone of doing that without real proof can cause even more problems not only for you, but for your child. It may be difficult at first, but keeping trying to talk to your child about it, because there are things he can do, that you can do, and your school can do to stop the bullying.

If you suspect your child is being harassed, talk to someone at the school. A teacher, the principal, or a guidance counselor can help you, and can also help look out for this happening, and who the bully is. Most importantly, your son or daughter needs to know that there is help for them, and they do not have to continue to be hurt.

We carry items that can help you collect evidence that this is happening. Our Mini Spy Camera is perfect for this because it can attach to your child’s book bag. It is simple to operate, so you can teach your child how to use it. It is small and discreet, so he or she can hide it when it needs to be used.