Resources for Parents and Guardians

I am providing these resources not to overwhelm you! My intent is to give you somewhere to turn if you are feeling alone in this or can’t find help on your own. Take from it what you will. And I wish you all the strength you’ll need to rise up and make a difference in your child’s life.

More from stopbullying.gov

When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time.

Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can help kids prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy.

Get Help NOW
https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/get-help-now
If you or someone you know is being bullied, there are things you can do to keep yourself and others safe from bullying.

What Kids Can Do
https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/kids

What Teens Can Do
https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/teens

What Adults Can Do
https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/on-the-spot

If you or someone you know is involved in cyberbullying, it is important to document and report the behavior.

If you have done everything you can to resolve the situation and nothing has worked, or someone is in immediate danger, there are ways to get help… StopBullying.gov

Get The Facts

Bullying is being mean to another kid over and over again. Bullying often includes:

• Teasing
• Talking about hurting someone
• Spreading rumors
• Leaving kids out on purpose
• Attacking someone by hitting them or yelling at them

Bullying does not always happen in person. Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that happens online or through text messages or emails. It includes posting rumors on sites like Facebook, sharing embarrassing pictures or videos, and making fake profiles or websites.

LEARN MORE
https://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/facts
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Learn What To Do
Are you being bullied? Do you see bullying at your school? There are things you can do to keep yourself and the kids you know safe from bullying.

Treat Everyone with Respect
https://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/what-you-can-do#respect
What to Do If You’re Bullied
https://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/what-you-can-do#bullied
Protect Yourself from Cyberbullying
https://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/what-you-can-do#cyberbullying
Stand Up for Others
https://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/what-you-can-do#stand
Get Involved
https://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/what-you-can-do#involved
More
https://www.stopbullying.gov/kids/what-you-can-do

Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center | Stats | Laws & Policy

American Psychological Association
https://www.apa.org/topics/bullying
Includes Children’s Books near the bottom – including on Kids section on website
Big Bold Beautiful Me
https://www.apa.org/pubs/magination/big-bold-beautiful-me
Big Brave Bold Sergio
https://www.apa.org/pubs/magination/441B235
Did You Hear?
https://www.apa.org/pubs/magination/441B216
Ouch Moments
https://www.apa.org/pubs/magination/441B175
Stand Up!
https://www.apa.org/pubs/magination/441B261
Baxter and Danny Stand Up to Bullying
https://www.apa.org/pubs/magination/441B229
Big Red and the Little Bitty Wolf
https://www.apa.org/pubs/magination/441B184
Shield Up!
https://www.apa.org/pubs/magination/441B132

APA: How parents, teachers, and kids can take action to prevent bullying
https://www.apa.org/topics/bullying/prevent
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EDC: Learning to transform lives.
http://preventingbullying.promoteprevent.org/what-bullying
The results of bullying are physical and emotional and can last far beyond childhood. But it doesn’t have to be a part of growing up.

Bullying is a learned behavior—and it CAN be unlearned.

Arizona PBS during National Bullying Prevention Month
What causes someone to bully? Learn about the science behind bullying (https://az.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/why-do-kids-bully-video/wviz-spot-on-science/) and what your students can do when it happens to them or a friend! (Grades: 3-8) And check out this blog post (https://azpbs.org/2022/09/how-does-bullying-affect-our-students/) from a local Arizona educator that discusses how bullying affects high school students. Parents, do you know what signs to look out for that might indicate your child is dealing with a bully?

What to Do if Your Child is Being Bullied
https://pbs.org/parents/thrive/what-to-do-if-your-child-is-being-bullied

Here are six steps to follow if you find yourself in this situation.

1. Avoid assumptions
2. Comment on changes and watch for nonverbal clues
3. Don’t schedule a meeting with the other kid(s).
4. Do ask the teacher for help.
5. Problem solve with your child.
6. Identify a touchstone.

5 Ways to Help Kids Handle Disagreements With Friends
https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/ways-to-help-kids-handle-disagreements-with-friends

Bystanders to Bullying
https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/bystanders-to-bullying
Someone who witnesses bullying, either in person or online, is a bystander. Friends, students, peers, teachers, school staff, parents, coaches, and other youth-serving adults can be bystanders. With cyberbullying, even strangers can be bystanders.

Youth involved in bullying play many different roles. Witnessing bullying is upsetting and affects the bystander, too. Bystanders have the potential to make a positive difference in a bullying situation by becoming an upstander. An upstander is someone who sees what happens and intervenes, interrupts, or speaks up to stop the bullying.

Youth who are bullied often feel even more alone because there are witnesses who do nothing. When no one intervenes the person being targeted may feel that bystanders do not care or they agree with what is happening. There are many reasons why a bystander may not interject, even if they believe that bullying is wrong. They may be afraid of retaliation or of becoming the target of bullying themselves. They might fear that getting involved could have negative social consequences.

An Upstander is someone who takes action when they witness bullying. Even one person’s support can make a big difference for someone who is being bullied. When youth who are bullied are defended and supported by their peers, they are less anxious and depressed than those who are not.

National Centre Against Bullying
https://www.ncab.org.au/bullying-advice/bullying-for-parents/

What if your child is the one doing the bullying?

If you find yourself on this side of bullying, you have resources, too!

Empowering Parents.com

Stomp Out Bullying: End the Hate; Change The Culture

What if your child is the one showing bullying behavior?

Child Mind Institute: My child is a Bully: What should I do?