How to respond to emotional bullying
Find out how you can help your child respond to emotional bullying, he is not alone and can overcome it!
Friendships are a significant part of life. Friendships provide a sense of belonging and a sense of community. Healthy friendships provide a safe place where children can be themselves. Unfortunately, there can also be toxic friendships that create emotional bullying.
The impact of this type of bullying is devastating, as it doesn’t take hitting to feel emotional pain. As a parent, you may wonder how you can help your child in these types of situations. Here are some ideas to help your child learn to respond in a healthy way to emotional bullying.
Index
LISTEN TO EVERYTHING HE HAS TO SAY TO YOU
Encourage your child to talk to you and when he does, allow him to do so sincerely. Don’t interrupt, criticize, or minimize what he is saying. Remember that speaking out loud allows you to better process experiences. Just keep the lines of communication with you. child.
EMPATHIZE
Don’t trivialize your child’s problems. Avoid making comments like, ‘what you say no one will remember tomorrow’, or ‘she’s not a good friend anyway’. Comfort and support your child in any way you can, validating their feelings and showing that you understand how they feel.
WHAT IS YOUR MOOD?
Sudden mood swings can sometimes indicate that bullying is taking place and that your child is being emotionally bullied. Do not ignore these changes or dismiss them thinking that they are things of age. You need to check what the root problem is. Any change in your behavior can be an indicator of a problem.
TRACK THEIR ACTIVITY
There are those who use the internet and telephones to harass others. Be it social networks, messages on the phone or comments on a blog, it is necessary to be aware of the possible harassment that exists on the Internet. You need to make sure you know what your child is doing on the Internet and how other people treat him / her.
TAKE ACTION AGAINST ONLINE HARASSMENT
Internet bullying or cyberbullying can be tools for emotional bullies. It is easy and cowardly to use so it is likely that a relational attacker will use the Internet to attack his victims. You need to take steps to prevent it from happening.
TEACH YOUR CHILD WHAT HE CAN AND CANNOT CONTROL
It is necessary for your children to know that they do not have control over what other people do or say, they only have control over what she says or does. If you think that he may have a problem with emotional harassment, then it will be a good idea to brainstorm to know how to respond and understand that he is not helpless and that he will not be alone.
ADVISE BUT DON’T FIX
It is never a good idea to fix things that happen to your child. Don’t take charge of their situations. You need to help him explore different options, know how to make good friends or talk to a therapist … you guide him, but he / she will do things. Let him decide what is best for him / her. When you show that you trust their decisions, then you are having a strong feeling of competence, something that will help you to have confidence in yourself and increase your self-esteem.
SELF-ESTEEM
When there is bullying it can make self-esteem feel damaged. You need to be generous with praise and help them identify their strengths and unique qualities. Make them see that they have their own idiosyncrasies and that this makes them wonderful. If you take steps to build healthy self-esteem, your child will feel better and be less of a target for bullies.
GET UP
Teach your child to be able to stand up on his own. To know that if he falls, he has enough capacity to get up again and keep walking. You need to learn to empathize with others, to be assertive and above all, to know how to defend yourself in a respectful way. You don’t have to be mean or aggressive to be able to assert yourself to others. If they also have your support and feel that their home is their refuge, they will feel more strength to be authentic.
TO WRITE A DIARY
Writing about the things that upset or hurt helps to better process the negative experience. Journaling is a great way to break down experiences in a meaningful way. In addition, if you write dates and times, it can also serve as evidence in case you have to report the bullying to the proper authorities.
COPING SKILLS
You need to teach your child to find healthy ways to deal with the stress and anxiety that emotional bullying can cause . You may find that exercising, doing crafts, or keeping a journal helps you control stress levels.
DON’T INTERVENE TOO SOON
For many parents, the first thought is to call the school and get the situation resolved immediately. But, as long as there are no safety concerns, sometimes it is better to help your child manage things. On your own. Doing so reinforces that you believe in her ability to manage her life.
DO YOU HAVE TO TALK TO THE SCHOOL?
While it is important to give your daughter the opportunity to solve the problem on her own, she will need to go to school if her life is being made miserable or if she has been physically hurt. You will need to go and talk to educational professionals if the bullying continues or increases in intensity.
SEEKING OUTSIDE HELP?
Allowing bullying to go on for a long time can have devastating effects on your child. For example, if he is not recovering or returning to normal, contact a therapist. And, if your child is depressed or has mentioned suicide, it’s time for immediate assistance. If you don’t have a therapist to call, ask your doctor for a recommendation. But, never ignore the impact of bullying or assume it will ‘pass’.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.