Comments on: Help your child cope with bullies

By: Elaine

Elaine — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:50:18 +0000

Hi Jill
How do you combat low self esteem, irritability, mood swings in a child that suffers as a result of physical and verbal bullying by other children…

By: Caroline

Caroline — Thu, 19 May 2011 21:49:41 +0000

Hi Jill,
I dont know if you will see this as it has been a while since you posted. My son is almost 5 and at nursery. He is being bullied by a little boy in his class who he will be going to school with. I have talked to his mum and the teacher. Still it continues. I am worried as he has gone from crying about it to accepting it and sees the little boy as his friend, even when he hits him and gets other boys to run away from him and cal lhim names. I cant get him to see him as an unkind person who he should stay away from. I dont want him to think this is a normal relationship. What do you think I can do to help him deal with it? as i need him to assert himself but dont want him doing it inappropiately. Are there any resources you can recommend? Thank you.

By: Jill Knowles

Jill Knowles — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:09:04 +0000

We did a survey of 100 young people who claimed to have been bullied. The majority saw the worst offence as being spat at. The worst thing that could be done about bullying was to be hauled into a meeting with the bully and a teacher. The thing that worked best was being taught how to deal with bullying.

By: Jill Knowles

Jill Knowles — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:46:25 +0000

Having worked as a school counsellor for many years I have observed that it is more common for only children & the eldest in the family to be bullied than those will older siblings who are used to dealing with teasing & unkindness.
I have run groups for children who have been bullied & my first priority is always to raise their self esteem & to move away from being seen as ‘victims’ aiming to be ‘survivors’ and then ‘winners’.