behaviors know no age limit. It is not uncommon for families to get their first brush with bullying in early elementary or even preschool. As preschoolers start to figure out how to manage impulses and emotions, there’s bound to be some teasing, pushing, grabbing or other selfish actions. However, three main characteristics distinguish bullying: If it’s purposeful and intended to harm; repeated over time; and targeted at the same child, who appears to have less power. A young child might describe it as some one who is “mean to me all the time.” Ruth Cross, consultant for CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning), says bullying needs to be redirected as soon as possible and replaced with cooperative social behaviors. She recommends parents start teaching social-emotional skills at age 3. Although it can be difficult to track the prevalence of the problem, it is welldocumented that bullying can have lasting effects. “A child who grows up feeling victimized, made fun of or like they don’t fit in can suffer from depression, anxiety and selfharm,” says Mary Ellen Young, who helped implement social-emotional learning standards in Illinois schools and co-authored a
Best Practices in Bullying Prevention manual. If aggressive actions are not redirected, they can lead to patterns of increasingly negative and violent behaviors. Students who witness bullying may feel unsafe in school and even become tempted to join in the bullying. Thankfully, Illinois has been a leader in the anti-bullying revolution.
Switching up the culture Experts agree that prevention is the best policy. “Using power to help, rather than hurt,
should be encouraged at a young age,” says Kim Storey, child development specialist and co-author of Eyes on Bullying in Early Childhood. Sharing, helping and inviting others to play are positive behaviors to promote. “Developing empathy and building community should be at the heart of any high-quality early childhood program,” says Mary Sue Reese, director of the Winnetka Covenant Preschool. CONTINUED ON PAGE 44
“We are teaching respect for peers and teachers, empathy via perspective-taking, communication skills like how to clearly articulate your needs to someone else, self-advocacy and help-seeking skills.” Amy Mart CPS manager of universal supports ChicagoParent.com October 2015 43
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