Parenting Speak to your child’s teachers and let them know about the situation. If that doesn’t stop the bullying, Hall suggests going to the principal, followed by the school division super-intendant and the school board. If all else fails, parents can contact Safe Schools Manitoba. “We need to make sure the child being bullied is safe. If parents are fearful for their child’s physical safety, they have to take immediate action. The police need to get involved,” says Hall. “Moving the child from one school to another won’t solve the problem.”
There are also a number of things parents shouldn’t do. Hall advises against contacting the parents of the bully, or suggesting that bullied children ignore the problem or fight back.
“We need to encourage our children to stand up for themselves but not to fight back. Retaliation can just make things worse. Children should avoid isolated areas where bullying is more likely to
REN KNOW THAT IF THERE’S “WE NEED TO LET OUR CHILD N IS BEING HURT IN A SITUATION WHERE A PERSO TO REPORT IT…” SOME WAY, IT’S NOT TATTLING
take place,” she says. “Parents shouldn’t overreact and get very angry because then the child will just pull inward and not report it the next time.” Conversations about bullying should begin when children are young, but Hall says it’s never too late to start. Children should be encouraged to speak up when they see someone being bullied. “We need to let our children know that if there’s a situation where a person is being hurt in some way, it’s not tattling to report it. Kids who report bullying play a huge leadership role because they’re affecting the safety of the bullied child,” says Hall. “When young people have the courage to let us know, it’s our responsibility to do something.” Let your children know that it’s okay to report images and messages they see online that are harmful or embarrassing to another student. “Have them save the message or image—don’t delete them, because the principal will need to investigate it,” Hall says. “Cyber bullying is definitely an increasing problem. Children are light years ahead of adults when it comes to their understanding of the technology and their ability to use it, but they often don’t have the moral compass of what’s right and wrong. Cyber bullying is 24/7, seven days a week.”
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To open a dialogue with your children about bullying, Hall suggests using what-if scenarios, or a news story. For younger children, there are storybooks on bullying. Safe Schools Manitoba gives presentations about bullying to students, teachers, and parents throughout the year. For more information and resources, please see their website at www.safeschoolsmanitoba.ca.
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