Parents are often the ones to hear of a story about bullying in school, in the neighborhood, or at the park. Bullying or repeated aggression can be verbal, psychological or physical. It can take the form of name calling, teasing, hitting or picking on someone weaker. It is not a one-time aggression. It is repeatedly performed for some time. A story about bullying can involve an individual or group.

In schools, bullying is a perennial problem. The problem is prevalent because most students who are bullied do not report the act or take a long time for them to do so. Victims often feel ashamed and are afraid of retaliation because bullying often happens where there are no adults around such as in school hallways or on the way to and from school. This makes the victims feel vulnerable to retaliation.

Children who are shy or fearful, physically weaker, less skilled, less assertive or do not make friends easily are picked on by bullies, while children who bully are often stronger, more aggressive and less tempered.

When a child tells you a story about bullying, try to listen instead of just dismiss the incident as ‘part of growing up’. Make an appointment with the teacher and discuss how to deal with the situation. Work in partnership with the school to ensure your child’s safety. There should be sufficient monitoring and parents should coordinate with school authorities in addressing the problem. The school needs to implement a comprehensive anti-bullying program. Every school must have an appropriate response or a management plan that addresses the problem dealing with bullying behavior.

Everyone knows someone who has either been a bully or a victim of bullying, and it’s important to review information about bullying to help stop the problem.

Victims are often embarrassed or humiliated and as a result don’t report the problem, and unfortunately bullies commonly deny any involvement. You can be alert and observant to get Information about bullying. Children who are being bullied usually come home with physical signs like bruises, cuts and scratches which they cannot explain. Sometimes torn clothing or damaged books are telltale signs of the problem. A child may show fear or reluctance to go to school and make up excuses to avoid doing so. He can also become irritable or depressed.

A person who bullies others will display signs of being domineering and may use threats in order to control others. Other children at home, in school or in the neighborhood are often afraid of him or her and he boasts about being better than the rest. He or she is usually impulsive, hot-tempered, impatient, rebellious, antisocial or frequently associates with other kids of questionable behavior.

With all the information about bullying that you can get, the first thing you can do is to contact your child’s teacher immediately. Your child spends most of his time in school during the day so you must work in collaboration with the school. Even if it stirs up strong feelings, avoid getting too emotional about it. Remember,

A lot of parents who are worried about their children’s behavior and well-being use the internet to look up information on bullying for kids. This article outlines the most important ideas about bullying among the youth and offers suggestions for dealing with it successfully.

Firstly, no matter what kind of bullying (emotional, physical, social or cyberbullying) is taking place, adults should be notified and should react immediately, otherwise the victim will feel abandoned and uncared for, which in turn can lead to more problems, such as low grades, lack of self-confidence, depression, troubling thoughts etc.

Secondly, in order to be able to act on time, make sure there is an atmosphere of security and trust at home or at school, because only if children feel safe and loved will they be honest to you and confess what’s going on in their lives. Websites that offer information on bullying for kids emphasize how essential this open communication is and recommend taking the matter of abuse seriously and nipping it in the bud. If undesirable behavior is not dealt with straight away, it sends a signal to the aggressor that it is OK to pick on someone.

Finally, all children should be advised on how to act when confronted with a bully. It is important not to show fear and panic, but to remain civil and calm, regardless of the insults thrown at you. If it is possible, momentarily alert your friends or other people you trust about what’s happening. If it is not possible to do that immediately, then report the abuse as soon as you can.

There are numerous resources such as websites, books, newspapers etc. that offer a wealth of information on bullying. Although each one of us has been verbally or physically abused at one time or another, this is not considered bullying unless it is done by intent to demean.

Bullying can occur in various surroundings: at home, at school, in the workplace, in the neighborhood… and it does not take place only among the youth. It is true that teens tend to behave more aggressively and violently towards each other, but adults can also lack the necessary “brakes” that will prevent them from venting frustration on others. Anyone who looks up information on bullying will find a lot of useful advice on how to develop coping skills and deal with bullies, but also how not to become one.

Physical scars that bullying leaves on a victim usually heal quickly, but it is emotional scars that a person can be left with for a lifetime. It is therefore not uncommon for victims to experience some kind of personality disorder, depression, to become more susceptible to alcohol or drug addiction, or more unpredictable and isolated.

The role of the bystander is crucial when it comes to bullying. A bystander should not be a passive observer of injustice and abuse, but should immediately report the case to an authority figure and ask for help. All statistics that provide information on bullying indicate that unless bullying is dealt with at an early stage (i.e. when it first appears), chances are that it will become the norm within the group, so the victims will keep silent and accept bullying as a normal part of growing up.

The way people are treated when they are young is one of the most important factors that determine what kind of personality they will develop. If a person is verbally or physically abused, it takes a lot of time and professional assistance from psychologists for that person to get rid of the feelings of low self-esteem, embarrassment, depression etc. and to start living a normal life. Reading books on bullying can be useful for overcoming the problem, especially if a child has no one in his surroundings to rely on and ask for help.

Teenagers often bully each other for various reasons: appearance, race, intelligence, interests, socio-economic background, religious views, sexual preferences… In most cases, these reasons are just an excuse for a bully to take out his anger and frustrations on someone whom he perceives as being inferior and weaker, which is why both the bully and the victim need expert advice and guidance in order to become fully functioning members of society. Books on bullying urge parents, teachers and other figures of authority to learn how to recognize signs of bullying and how to properly respond to such situations.

The best way of dealing with problems of all kinds is by encouraging open communication and reacting to problems immediately as they arise. Adolescents may not be very keen on discussing the details of their private lives with parents or teachers, but if they bottle up their feelings and don’t share what’s happening, it’s almost impossible to help them. Books on bullying are full of information about this issue and they can help children protect themselves from bullies.