Six ways to stop bullying

Educators offer advice to parents on how to combat bullying:

1. Talk with and listen to your kids every day. Engage in frequent conversations about their social lives.

2. Spend time at school and recess. Research shows that 67 percent of bullying happens when adults are not present.

3. Be a good example of kindness and leadership. Your kids learn a lot about power relationships from watching you.

4. Learn the signs. Most children don’t tell anyone (especially adults) that they’ve been bullied. Learn to recognize warning signs such as complaints of headaches or stomachaches, or avoiding recess or school activities.

5. Create healthy anti-bullying habits early. Coach your children what not to do: hitting, pushing, teasing.

6. Help your child’s school deal with bullying effectively. Zero-tolerance policies don’t work. Ongoing educational programs that help create a healthy social climate do.

Source: Education.com