HealthyLife Articles

Tag: talking

  • Bullying: How To Take Action

    FAMILY LIFE

    Image of kids wispering and pointing towards a classmate whose head is down.

    Bullying can be hard to address, especially if it’s happening to your child. Knowing how to deal with bullying can help you support your child and stay calm about it. This is important because bullying can happen more than once.

    Dealing with bullying in the right way can help you (and your child) put a stop to it. If your child is being bullied, take the following steps:

    *  Talk to your child about what happened. Without interrupting or giving your opinion, let your child openly talk about what was said or done in the bullying situation. Be sure you understand the whole story. Support them as they talk by telling them you want to help, and by keeping your actions as calm as possible.

    *  Tell the child that bullying is not their fault. No one deserves to be bullied.

    *  When giving advice, use clear examples. Role playing can be very helpful in teaching a child what to do. Never tell them to fight back or use violence. This doesn’t help the situation and can get your child in trouble or hurt.

    *  Ask your child how you can help them feel safe again. Try not to single him or her out by making changes in their routine, such as switching classes or buses. Instead, try taking other steps, such as changing seating arrangements in school or on the bus.

    *  Talk with the school or organization. State your concerns and ask them how they feel it can be addressed. Remember that the school staff cannot “discipline” other kids. Even if you want to, avoid talking with the bullying child’s parents. School officials can talk with them and be a neutral moderator.

    *  Consider getting professional support for your child. Sometimes a school counselor or mental health expert can help a child who has been bullied.

    Bullying should never be ignored. Kids who are bullied may be at higher risk for health problems like:

    *  Depression

    *  Anxiety

    *  Sleep problems

    *  Loss of interest in activities

    Their grades may also suffer. Kids who are bullied are more likely to miss school or drop out.

    Source: Stopbullying.gov

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Talk To Your Child About Abuse

    FAMILY LIFE

    Image of parents talking to their child.

    Parents generally teach their children about “stranger danger” from an early age. They are told not to talk to, walk with or take gifts or candy from strangers. But statistics show danger often lurks closer to home.

    According to the National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, the vast majority of children who are sexually abused are abused by someone they know-most often a family member, an adult the family trusts or, in some instances, another child.

    Parents can help protect their children from sexual abuse by talking frankly to them about abuse, starting at a young age with age-appropriate information, advises Kay Knaff, clinical services program manager for Youth Villages.

    How to talk to your child (starting about age 3 or 4) about sexual abuse:

    *  Tell your child about good touch-a hug or a pat on the back-and bad touch, when someone is touching private areas.

    *  Tell your child nobody-no family member, teacher, other child or adult-is allowed to touch him or her in the areas covered by a bathing suit because these are private areas. Exceptions are a parent bathing a young child or helping the child with using the bathroom, as well as a doctor or nurse when examining the child.

    *  Tell your child he or she has permission to tell any adult who touches them in their private areas, “No!”

    Tell your child that if anyone ever touches him or her in any way in their private areas, he or she should tell mom, dad and or grandma/grandpa or another trusted person about it immediately.

    Get help immediately. If you suspect your child has been abused, act immediately. Either call your local police, your local rape crisis center, child protective services or the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453), then push 1 to talk to a hotline counselor.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine