What can I do if my child is using bullying behaviour?
Take it seriously but remain calm about the issue. Children and young people who bully others generally do not know appropriate ways to get on with others. They need to learn how to treat others respectfully so that they don’t continue to experience difficulties getting along with others. • Make it clear to your child that their behaviour is not OK. ‘It was all in fun’ is not an acceptable excuse; get them to think about whether they would feel like it was fun if someone did it to them. • Discuss the negative impact on the child who is being bullied. Try to get your child to see it from the other child’s perspective. • Avoid bullying your child verbally or physically; never resort to physical punishment yourself because violence carries the message that misusing power is okay. • Arrange consequences that fit with your child’s actions – for example, no video games for a week. • Supervise your child’s activities and spend more time with them, and reinforce appropriate behaviours • Ensure
