A Guide To Disciplining A Child Developing Bullying Tendencies

As parents, we always want to believe in the best in our children. We want to believe that they are a good friend, a good student, and a well-rounded person. However, sometimes children go through stages where they are anything but that.

The dreaded phone call from your child’s school to tell you that your child has been bullying other students is something that no parent wants to face, but you need to know how to deal with it if you do get that call.

Here’s what to do with your child if you find out that they are bullying other children.

Address It

As soon as you find out that your child has been bullying other students, you must address the problem with your child. Letting it fly under the radar may lead your child to believe that what they are doing is okay.

You can address the issue with your child calmly and respectfully, which lets them know that what they did wrong while ensuring that they still feel respected as a person. Your child should know that their behavior was not okay but should not feel like you will hold it against them.

Determine the Cause

While you are addressing the issue with your child, try to determine the cause of their bullying. There may be a myriad of reasons why they felt the need to lash out in the way they did, and it is crucial to find what the reasons are.

Doing this will ensure that you can prevent any future bullying because your child will have felt seen and heard for their reasons for bullying, and it is unlikely that they will feel the need to lash out again after that.

Remove Privileges

If your child has been bullying other children, it is vital that they feel the adverse effects on everybody. While you cannot always show your child what their bullying has done in the hearts of other children, you can show them the effects it has on them.

You can take away any privileges that your child may have for a short time to realize that being a bully does not have any positive effects whatsoever. The privileges can be anything from gaming consoles to attending sporting matches.

Teach New Skills

Teaching your child new skills that encourage empathy will ensure that they are less dependant on bullying in the future. Knowing how to react in certain situations is vital to your child not exhibiting bullying behavior.

Avoid Shaming

Your child will likely be feeling wrong about their bullying. Most children inherently know when their behavior is wrong. For this reason, you should avoid shaming your child for bullying and instead talk to them about it.

Let them know that while bullying is not okay, they still have a chance to redeem themselves if they begin to treat everybody with love and respect. Doing this will ensure that your child is secure in the knowledge that you still support them.