When Your Child is Being Teased

Is your child being teased? Are they the victim of a mean child? Are you feeling frustrated and powerless because your child is being treated poorly? Well, you are not alone, many parents face this dilemma in their life, and are unsure about what they should be doing to help their child. The following are some tips for what to do when your child is being teased.

The most important thing you can do for your child is listen to them explain the situation. As they tell you about the teasing, listen carefully to their words. Do not spend your time trying to figure out how to solve the problem, but instead, practice active listening. The better you listen, the better off your child will be. They will be able to feel support, and will know that you are there for them, and that you are someone they can turn to without the fear that you will be out solving the problems for them.

When your child has explained the teasing situation to you, your next job is to evaluate how it is affecting your child. Is their esteem suffering? Are they scared? Are they unhappy with school, or are they losing friends? If the teasing is out of control, and affecting your child's welfare, it is time to take some action. Never take action without asking your child's permission first. Ask them what they want you to do. Let them know the options. It might be things like talking to the child's parent, or discussing it with the teacher so she can watch for it in the classroom and at recess. It might mean informing the bus driver, or the school principal, or some other person in authority so that they can watch out for it, and put a stop to it when it is happening.

If your child agrees to let you step in, do so in a way that is not going to make your child feel self-conscious. Help them by being discreet, otherwise the teasing might be worse.

Next, take time to help your child understand the psychology of teasing. Help them see that it is not really about them, but about an insecurity or weakness in the other child, which they are hiding by exposing the insecurities and weaknesses of others. Help them see that they are still a person of worth, and that often it is a scared, or lonely kid who is teasing. They might be jealous of how many friends you have, or how smart you are, or some other factor. If your child understand why teasing occurs, they will be better equipped to deal with it.

Last, take the time to help build your child's esteem. Focus on their insecurities, and make them strengths instead. Maybe they are worried about their looks, take them for a hair cut or shopping. Maybe they are worried about their smarts, help them study, or get them a tutor. Help make weaknesses strengths.

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