I was recently contacted by Tyler Clark of Liahona Academy regarding the bullying. A statement from their website and a post by Tyler are below.
At Liahona, we believe that boys thrive in an environment of “love” and “discipline”. Moreover, we believe that boys respond to the help offered when they feel loved, respected and responsible.
Is Your Child Being Bullied?
There is nothing more heartbreaking then to see your child upset and there is little that you can do. More and more these days we are hearing about bullying cases and it seems to have just become part of daily life for children of certain ages. We need to try all we can to make it so this is not the norm. As parents it is our responsibility to do something about the issue. There are ways to tell if your child is being bullied in order to stop it.
Most of the time children will not come right out and tell their parents they are being bullied. It is up to parents to look for signs that something may be wrongs. This includes listening to what your child has to stay. For example, if your child comes home hungry from school because they did not eat their lunch then ask why. Ask if someone took it. If they come home andsay they want to quit the soccer team ask why. Is someone on the team giving them a hard time?
As children get older it may get harder and harder to actually speak to them. In this case you want to look for signs without them having to even say a word. If their social interactions change then there may be an issue. If they are spending more time secluded at home then it may be wise to ask “Do you want me to take you and your friends to the movies?” If they are hesitant to do anything they would normally do then it is time to confront them directly about bullying.
Physical signs on your child can tell you right away if bullying is taking place. If they come home with scratches or bruises they did not have when the left for school it is important to ask what happen. If they have a torn jacket sleeve make sure to find out how the tore took place. They may be hesitant to give the truth at first but look for signs they are being untruthful.
Bottom line is to be aware of what is happening with and around your child. If you are an active part of their life they will be more likely to come out and tell you when something is going wrong.
Tyler Clark is with Liahona Academy in Hurricane, UT and is committed to helping troubled youth and is an active supporter of Anti-Bullying Month.
