Bullying is a common problem for many children in the late childhood stage. During this time for children, the importance of peer relationships changes dramatically. This is a time where they turn to their peers for their problems, feelings, doubt, and increasing time spent with them. The reliance on peers creates more pressure for attaining social status and getting acceptance from other peers are increasingly important. The pressure to gain acceptance is related to teasing and bullying to maintain superiority over other students through ridiculing (Espelage, 2016).
Bullying causes many long term socioemotional issues in children including depression and anxiety, feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they enjoy. Bullying has effected many children more than people think and it could potentially lead to suicidal thoughts and decreased academic achievement (National Crime Prevention Council, 2016).
Parents can take steps to helping their children with bullying:
- Giving their children positive feedback for good behavior to increase self-esteem
- Ask your children about their day and listen to what they are saying and the problems they have
- Take bullying seriously and help
- Encourage children to help others being bullied
- Do not bully your children or bully others in front of them, showing it is "okay."
- Parental Monitoring
Espelage, D. (2016). Bullying in early adolescence: The role of the peer group. Retrieved fromhttps://www.counseling.org/resources/library/Selected%20Topics/Bullying/Bullying_%20Early_Adolescence.html
National Crime Prevention Council. (2016). What parents can do. Retrieved from http://www.ncpc.org/topics/bullying/what-parents-can-do
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