Helping Your Child With Bullying: Part 2

1. Take Notes! Document Everything – Create a Journal

Each and every time your child shares with you they are being bullied or threatened or teased write it down. When documenting getting Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How are critical (date and details, actionable items).

Who – who are the students/people involved in the bullying? Who witnessed it? What is the name of the adult who may have been near by?

What – what took place? Who said what or did what?

Where – where was the location? (If your child responds, “By my locker” or “On the playground” have them identify the floor and closest classroom, or the piece of equipment on the playground.)

When -  knowing what time of day the incident took place is important. If your child is young ask them if they were at recess, or was if it was reading time, or math centers, etc.

Why Do You Think This Happened – there may have been something that happened early that led up to the bullying or threatening.

How – How did the incident happen? Try to have your child share it with you in chronological order, even if you have to piece it together yourself.

This information allows schools, organizations, and even in your own home to identify when and where more adult support, supervision or new procedures are needed to ensure the environment is emotionally and physically safe. Your child’s school may realize they need more supervision throughout the playground. Or, perhaps a teacher will identify that while her class is working in small groups a class volunteer would be well suited sitting with those small groups. Perhaps you, as a parent, will realize you need to talk to your child about appropriate and inappropriate online behavior.

2. Let the  Appropriate Adult Know Your Child is Coming to Speak to Them

Parents should contact the adult to whom their child will be sharing their bullying experience with. Letting that adult know your child will be coming to speak to them about this important issue will allow that adult to encourage your child to find their voice and not be afraid to share what is happening to them.  Ask this adult to keep your involvement from your child. This will allow your child to feel they are empowered to advocate for themselves.

Ask this adult to contact you after they have spoken to your child so you can support how the other adult is going to deal with the issue. This also allows you to follow up later.

These phone calls and interactions – keep a record of the date, time, form of communication, and with whom you spoke to.