Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally  and repeatedly cause injury or discomfort to another person.  There are many ways to tell if someone if being affected by bullying  , either being bullied or bullying others. Knowing and recognizing these warning signs is the first step to taking an action on bullying. It is not all children who are victim of bullying or who are bullying ask for help.

It is essential that you talk to  children who are showing signs of bullying or bullying others. These could be warning signs of others serious issues such as depression or substance abuse .

Signs that a child is being bullied

If  you see these signs in your child, it could be an indication that he/she is being bullied .

• unexplained injuries
• difficulty sleeping or nightmares
• destroyed or lost books, clothing, electronics or jewelry
• feeling sick or faking sickness
• frequent headaches or stomach aches
• sudden loss of friends
• trying to avoid social situations
• changing eating habits such as binge eating, skipping meals , kids coming from school hungry because they didn’t eat
• decreased self esteem of feeling helpless
• declining grades
• not wanting to go to school or loss of interest in school
• self destructive behaviors such as harming themselves, running away from home or  talking about suicide

If you realize your child or anyone is in serious distress, do not ignore the sitaution. Get help right away.

Signs that a child is bullying

These sign may indicate that a child is bullying others.

• have friends who bully
• getting increasingly aggressive
• get into physical or verbal fights
• blame other for their problems
• have unexplained new items or money
• gets sent to the principal’s office or get detention easily
• dont accept responsibility for their actions
• are competitive
• worry about reputation or popularity

Why do bullied kids not ask for help ?

Some of the reasons why bullied kids dont ask for help include :

• they may fear backlash from the kids who bullied them
• these kids already  feel socially isolated. They may feel like nobody cares
• bullying makes a child feel helpless. As a result they may want to handle on their own and feel in control again
• Bullying is also a humiliating experience . They  may not want their parents to know what is being said to them whether its true or false. There is also the fear of being punished or judged for being weak
• these kids may fear being rejected by their peers. Friends can protect kids from bullying and they do not want to lose that support.

What can you do if your child is bullying others or is being bullied  ?

The American Academy of pediatrics is in support of raising awareness among children, teachers, parents and school administrators . Messages should reach victims, bystanders and bullies.

Victims should seek help from an adult or a peer support group. You should known that the bully’s behavior is not his/her fault. These children who bully others should receive help to address the issue . They usually suffer from depression , have conduct disorders  or need support with social skills.

Parents should support their kids with consistent support and teach them not to join in. Schools should also be urged to talk regularly  with students and students about bullying and its consequences.