School bullying, just like any other type of bullying, is painful to a child. It can have tragic and long-lasting effects, which include suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem, reluctance to go to school, aggression and other physical and mental problems.
Parents play a significant role in preventing and responding to school bullying. While parents do not accompany their children to school every day, awareness can go a long way in tackling the problem. Here are the three things that every parent should know about school bullying in America:
1. School bullying is real.
It is very important for parents to recognize that school bullying is rampant among students in America. It is a real and growing problem at present. According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, one in three American students or over 3.2 million students admitted that they have been bullied at school. This has been the reason why almost 160,000 teens skip school every day while one in 10 students opted to drop out of school because of repeated bullying.
2. School bullying is not efficiently tackled by teachers.
Parents should make their children feel that they have a confidante as most school bullying victims felt that the problem was not tackled by their teachers in an effective manner. DoSomething.org, an organization of young people committed to social change, said that one in four teachers in America does not consider bullying as a wrongdoing and would only intervene 4 percent of the time. Moreover, more that 67 percent of American students think that their schools respond poorly to bullying.
3. School bullying can be stopped.
Parents should be aware that they can do a lot to stop school bullying. According to Mental Health America, parents can stop it by encouraging their children to speak up, as well as listening and supporting them when they speak up. Parents should also reach out to their children and get them help when they show signs of depressions. Keeping up-to-date with their children's lives at school can also be very helpful in addressing the problem.
