Bullying

As kids head back to school they're faced with the challenges of new classes, new teachers and old and new classmates. To help your child enjoy a good year, keep in touch with him about the behavior of his schoolmates to ensure that bullying is not part of the new school year. Bullying can be as harsh as punching and shoving or as hurtful as isolating someone from the "group." Bullying can also happen online and is referred to as cyberbullying. A government Web site called Stop Bullying Now offers tips for parents who suspect their child is being bullied.

1) What to look for. Children don't always tell their parents about being bullied so changes in behavior may, at first, be your only clue. Symptoms can include unexplained anxiety, being withdrawn, or acting sad. When you notice that your outgoing child is suddenly sullen you may have a problem. Often students show signs of bullying with physical symptoms such as stomach aches or other complaints. Some children try to find ways to miss school and start slipping academically. Try to keep an open dialogue with you children so that you can stop the bullying before it escalates.

2) Good strategies. It's important to let students know that telling an adult is imperative when it comes to bullying. It could be a parent, teacher, coach or neighbor. Bullies often pick on loners, so spending time with other kids can help keep children from becoming a easy "target." And if the bullying happens online, advise your child to control the urge to strike back and simply not reply to the insult.

3) No fist fights. Physically fighting back, though perhaps tempting, rarely brings the results you want. A stern statement that you don't like the bully's behavior sometime works, but fist fights are not the answer.

If your child is the victim of school bullying, it's natural to want to call the parent of the bully, but experts say this may not be the best move. The first step is to discuss it with a school administrator, who should then contact the parents for a conference. Follow up with the school until the issue is resolved.

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