Page 26 - Demo

26Supporting the bullied student at homeKnowing or suspecting that your child is being bullied at school can trigger a variety of emotions in a parent or guardian. Feelings such as anger, fear, shame, and guilt are natural and necessary in this situation. However, you should not try to start figuring out the situation while you are overwhelmed by your own emo-tions. The risk is that the bullied student may feel that they have made their parents or guardians feel bad. Another risk is related to underreacting, in which case the bullied student may feel that their situation is belittled. Difficult things should not be avoided, but rather one can learn to cope with them. The goal of finding out about the bullying situation is to provide support to your child, increase their self-confidence, and reassure them that the bullying can be stopped.What to do?%u2022If you know or suspect that your child is being bullied, talk to them about it. They may not want to discuss it, so be prepared for the possibility that they initially deny being bullied.%u2022Encourage them to talk about it and say that you want to help them, no matter how difficult it is. Tell them that you are 100% on their side.%u2022State clearly and often that it is not their fault that they are being bullied. There is nothing wrong with them, and nothing justifies the bullying.