The parents of the child being a victim of bullying

The parents of the children usually feel:

• Anger at the other child, the family of the other child and the school unit
• Panic and anxiety as to what emotional residues this incident will leave on their child  
• Guilt for their inability to protect their child
• Disappointment with the “inaction” of the educational system to protect their child

All these emotions block the parent emotionally, and they seek a magical solution to the problem “here and now”.

The parents should also:

• Record carefully everything the child has said and especially regarding those involved in the incident, how many times it has occurred, where and exactly what happened
• Assure the child that no one has the right to behave like this
• They themselves must have exemplary behaviour for the children both at home and overall
• Use appropriate vocabulary
• Boost the self-confidence and self-esteem of the children
• Advise and encourage the children to have a wide circle of friends
• Advise the children to avoid potential areas of attack
• Help children realize that they must ask for help when needed
• Encourage the child to communicate with the teacher
• The parents themselves should communicate with the teacher

When communicating with the teacher, the parent should keep in mind:

• The teacher might be unaware of the incident
• It does not help to focus their anger towards the teacher
• To be precise (names – places – dates)
• To ask to be informed about the actions taken by the school
• To ask if and in what way they can participate in the solution
• And to keep in contact