Bullying unfortunately has become an everyday occurrence in school yards, playgrounds and parks. There are a variety of ways kids are bullied so there are multiple theories on how to deal with bullies. Every case of bullying needs to be assessed individually to determine the best way to help kids.
For this article, I will focus on bullying situations that involve words, facial expressions and body language. These tend to be the most common ones. It is important to teach children to recognize when they are being bullied. Many bullies are very good at what they do and they can be so subtle, that it is hard to realize what is happening.
So, teach kids to listen carefully for the tone of voice. I've said for many years now that "a word is just a word, until you add a tone of voice". The tone of voice is what determines the meaning and intent of the word. If you add facial expressions and body language that is negative, then the event becomes more traumatic for the victims.
A harsh tone of voice is a common characteristic of bullying words. It is critical to teach kids how to hear the tone right away so they will know that it is going to be a put down, teasing or bullying event; even before they hear the actual words. This gives them the advantage, allowing them the opportunity to choose to walk away or tune out the bully. Neither of these two things is easy to do and that is why you need to role play with kids so they can practice. The more they practice how to do this, the better they will be at pulling themselves out of situations that can turn into traumatic experiences. This skill will help build their self-esteem.
Words do hurt and do have a negative impact on how we see ourselves and how we live our lives. The next lesson will teach you the one question kids can ask themselves to prevent bullies from destroying their self-esteem.
Wendy Collier, B. Ed. is the proud Author and Illustrator of the Self-Esteem Angel™ Book Series which is successfully teaching children how to deal with bullying and build their self-esteem and life skills. She has 27 years of experience in self-esteem, facilitating interactive courses with the simple and effective tools and skills that she has developed. She will be sharing how you can enjoy her healthy, balanced, happy and prosperous lifestyle. You will then be able to role model and teach your children these important skills for life success. For more information or to order books visit http://SelfEsteemAngel.com
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