The Problem Of Bullying In Children

Bullying has become a serious problem among children. While some attribute it to basic human nature others blame it on faulty upbringing and unhealthy social ethics. Whatever the cause, bullying has become a cause of grave concern for many a parent.

Bullying can be called exposure to negative and aggressive behavior in which the child who is being harassed is not able to defend himself by any means. Bullying can be of various types. It can be repetitive, mental, physical, verbal, psychological, etc.

The effect of bullying on children may be dangerous. A sufferer of bullying can become a victim of various health issues like depression, mental anxiety, depression and low sense of worth. What’s more he can even be driven to suicide! The children who are perpetrators of bullying also develop many negative traits, which can be detrimental to them and their future.

For example most of the children who are used to bullying others are more prone to drinking, stealing, smoking and fighting. They usually don’t do well in their studies and develop a negative outlook on life, which leads them to think that others can be ‘controlled’ only by power and domination.

Parents have a very crucial role to play in this case. It’s well known that children have impressionable minds. The same applies to bullies also. The negative trait that they have developed can be removed with proper guidance and counseling by the parents-though it’s a slow process. If you as a parent become aggressive and emotional when you find out that your child is bullying timid and gentle children, you are more likely to do more harm than good. Similarly, if your child is being bullied, you should not directly reprimand/thrash the bully.

It’s because the tormentor/bully may become all the more aggressive in his approach and the victim may become totally dependent on the person who tries to save him/her. So, you should try to read the psyche of your child and if possible try to resolve the matter by bringing both the bully and the victim in a close discussion.

Sometimes, it happens that your child is being bullied at school but is unable to articulate his thoughts to you. If you see that your child is afraid to go to school, is deteriorating in his studies, can’t sleep properly and often falls sick, you should at once contact the school and enquire about the matter. Some schools even have counselors and they can be very beneficial in this regard.

In some very unfortunate incidents, it has been seen that even some shameful teachers are involved in bullying. They may bully the child in front of the class or may take help from their ‘favorite’ students. In a case, a teacher turned vindictive when his faulty teaching was reported to the principal by the child’s parents. In such cases, taking strict action is the only option. If conditions do not improve, you should get your student admitted to another good school.