Wagenhals, Angela -MS Counselor
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- Bullying Information for Middle School Parents
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Bullying and Cyberbullying Information for Middle School Parents
Definition of Bullying: Bullying is commonly understood as behavior that: (a) is intended to cause mental distress and or physical harm, (b) exists in a relationship in which there is an imbalance of power and strength, and (c) is repeated over time.
Definition of Cyberbullying: Cyberbullying is when a student is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another student using electronic communication media. Such media includes, but is not limited to, e-mail messages, text messages, social networking sites, internet based video sites and posting of blogs.
Shepherd Middle School Provides the Following:- Bullying lessons in the classrooms for students 6th-8th one time a month throughout the year.
- Anti bullying poster campaign in October for Bullying Prevention Month.
- Bullying presentation to all 6th-8th students provided by the counselor.
- "Safe Zone" for students every day during lunch in counselor's office.
- Counseling/School Interventions
Bullying Prevention Tips for Parents:
Parents play a central role in preventing bullying and stopping it when it happens:
- Teach your child to solve problems without using violence and praise them when they do.
- Help give your child self-confidence to stand up for what they believe in.
- Ask your child about their day and listen to them when they talk about school, social events, their classmates, and any problems they have.
- Take bullying seriously. Many kids are embarrassed to say they have been bullied.
- If you see bullying, stop it right away, even if your child is the one doing the bullying.
- Encourage your child to help others who need it.
- Children will model the behavior of their parents and family environment. Please consider this in your daily interactions with your child/children as well as what they are exposed to in the media (TV, music, movies, etc).
Recognize the Signs of a Student Who May be Bullied:
- Many school absences
- Anxiety about attending school
- Withdrawal from peers and social activities
- Unusual sadness
- Frequent visits to the school nurse
- Unexplained cuts or bruises
- Fear of walking home/riding the school bus
- A decline in academic performance or motivation
Is My Child a Bully?
This is a difficult question for any parent to consider. The following signs may indicate your student has bullied others.
- Talks about other children in a negative way (wimp, loser, stupid).
- Talks as though other children deserve what happens to them (he asked for it).
- Doesn’t seem to care about others’ feelings.
- Behaves in a rough way towards others.
- Shows defiance (You can’t tell me what to do!).
- Is easily frustrated when they don’t get their own way.
- Is accused of bullying.
- Gets in trouble at school or elsewhere for fighting or saying mean things.
Cyberbullying Tips for Parents:
- Keep the computer in a common area of the house.
- Ask your child to tell you immediately about any uncomfortable online experiences, with assurances that you will not be angry if he or she confides in you.
- Consider the age of your child before allowing them on social networking sites.
- Consider filtering and monitoring software.
- Create a written internet safety plan with your child. Set rules for internet and e-mail use. Post these rules by your computer.
- Save or print inappropriate messages and pictures that your child has received.
- Contact your internet service provider and file a complaint if your child receives messages or images of concern.
- Talk frequently with your child. Discuss their online friends just as you talk about their other friends.
Resources for Parents:
- http://Netsmart.org: A kid friendly online workshop hosted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
- http://ncpc.org: The National Crime Prevention Council offers great information on many related topics including bullying and cyberbullying.
- http://safe.org: Internet safety education endorsed by the US Congress.
- http://wiredsafety.org: Free resource focusing on internet safety, help and education for internet users of all ages.
- http://getnetwise.org: A public service site by internet industry corporations and public interest organizations.