Stopbullying.gov gives some great tips and advice about bullying
" How to Talk About Bullying
Parents, school staff, and other caring adults have a role to play in preventing bullying. They can:
Help kids understand bullying. Talk about what bullying is and how
to stand up to it safely. Tell kids bullying is unacceptable. Make sure
kids know how to get help.
Keep the lines of communication open.
Check in with kids often. Listen to them. Know their friends, ask about
school, and understand their concerns.
Encourage kids to do
what they love. Special activities, interests, and hobbies can boost
confidence, help kids make friends, and protect them from bullying
behavior.
Model how to treat others with kindness and respect.
Help Kids Understand Bullying
Kids who know what bullying is can better identify it. They can talk
about bullying if it happens to them or others. Kids need to know ways
to safely stand up to bullying and how to get help.
Encourage
kids to speak to a trusted adult if they are bullied or see others
being bullied. The adult can give comfort, support, and advice, even if
they can’t solve the problem directly. Encourage the child to report
bullying if it happens.
Talk about how to stand up to kids who
bully. Give tips, like using humor and saying “stop” directly and
confidently. Talk about what to do if those actions don’t work, like
walking away
Talk about strategies for staying safe, such as staying near adults or groups of other kids.
Urge them to help kids who are bullied by showing kindness or getting help.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
Research tells us that
children really do look to parents and caregivers for advice and help on
tough decisions. Sometimes spending 15 minutes a day talking can
reassure kids that they can talk to their parents if they have a
problem. Start conversations about daily life and feelings with
questions like these:
What was one good thing that happened today? Any bad things?
What is lunch time like at your school? Who do you sit with? What do you talk about?
What is it like to ride the school bus?
What are you good at? What would do you like best about yourself?
Talking about bullying directly is an important step in understanding
how the issue might be affecting kids. There are no right or wrong
answers to these questions, but it is important to encourage kids to
answer them honestly. Assure kids that they are not alone in addressing
any problems that arise. Start conversations about bullying with
questions like these:
What does “bullying” mean to you?
Describe what kids who bully are like. Why do you think people bully?
Who are the adults you trust most when it comes to things like bullying?
Have you ever felt scared to go to school because you were afraid of bullying? What ways have you tried to change it?
What do you think parents can do to help stop bullying?
Have you or your friends left other kids out on purpose? Do you think that was bullying? Why or why not?
What do you usually do when you see bullying going on?
Do you ever see kids at your school being bullied by other kids? How does it make you feel?
Have you ever tried to help someone who is being bullied? What happened? What would you do if it happens again?
Get more ideas for talking with children about life and about bullying. If concerns come up, be sure to respond.
There are simple ways that parents and caregivers can keep up-to-date with kids’ lives.
Read class newsletters and school flyers. Talk about them at home.
Check the school website
Go to school events
Greet the bus driver
Meet teachers and counselors at “Back to School” night or reach out by email
Share phone numbers with other kids’ parents."