Little Johnny is just like any other kid. He loves hanging out with his friends, he gets good grades and a constant A+ student. However, because of his small stature, one of his bigger classmates started to bully him. As a result, his grades slowly went down, and he started to lose interest in school. His best friend, Mark, decided to do reverse bullying to help him out.
Mark asked some of their other friends to start teasing and making fun of Johnny’s bully to let him know how it feels like to be the victim.
This caused Johnny’s bully to stop his negative actions, but is it really the right thing to do?
What is reverse bullying?
If you were ever bullied as a child, or had a friend who was the victim of a bully, then at one point you’ve probably thought about taking revenge on the bully by giving them a taste of their own medicine.
This need for revenge is known as ‘reverse bullying’.
Your child might have also thought about the same thing themselves, especially if they were in the same position. However, reverse bullying isn’t something that kids should do, and it’s important for parents to talk to their kids and let them know what’s the proper response to bullying.
Reverse bullying might seem like a good response to bullying, but it actually teaches the wrong message. | Image source: iStock
Reverse bullying shouldn’t be condoned
Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian civil rights leader said it best, “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” The same thing also applies to bullying.
It might seem okay to let the bully know what it’s like to be on the receiving end, but it really doesn’t do anything good for anyone. It only victimizes the bully, and it might even cause your child to think that aggression and revenge is the proper response to someone being mean to them.
Parents need to make sure that their kids are always on the right path. No parent wants their children to grow up to be mean or hurtful people. Reverse bullying can even get your child in trouble, especially if they do something really bad to their bully. This is why reverse bullying should never be condoned by any parent.
What should parents teach their kids?
Image source: iStock
There are 3 things that parents should keep in mind whenever they’re teaching their children to handle bullies:
Patience
Some bullies like bullying other kids because they get a reaction out of the child that they’re bullying. This is where patience comes in. Teach your child to simply ignore anyone saying mean things to them, or trying to get them riled up. This will only serve to frustrate the bully, and they might even get tired of bullying your child as a result.
Assertiveness
In some cases, being assertive helps your child stand up to their bully. Some bullies boss or push around other children because they like the feeling that the other kids are scared of them. However, if you teach your child to stand up for himself, then the bully won’t have any power over your child.
Of course, it’s important to let your child know that being assertive doesn’t mean that they should say mean things or challenge the bully. It simply means that whenever the bully says mean things towards them, they need to respond by telling the bully that what they’re doing is wrong. Patience also plays a big role in this regard.
Asking for help
As a last result, you can teach your child to learn to ask for help. Let your child understand that there’s nothing wrong with telling a teacher or an adult about a bully and that it’s their job to do so since the bully might also be causing problems to other kids.
Talking to an adult is also the best way of dealing with a bully who hurts other children physically, so it’s always a good idea to tell on a bully instead of letting them hurt other kids.
Know the signs of bullying
Have you noticed any strange bruises or cuts on your child? | Image source: iStock
It’s also important for moms and dads to be aware of the signs of bullying in children to know if their child is already a victim. Here are some of the signs that moms and dads need to be aware of:
- Sudden disinterest or reluctance to go to school.
- Unexplained injuries.
- Lost or damaged personal items.
- Sudden change in behaviour/emotional outbursts.
- A sharp decline in their grades.
If your child is a victim of bullying, you can visit bullyfree.sg in order to learn more about what you can do as a parent, and what you can do for your child.
Sources: familyshare.com, speakingtree.in
READ: 6 warning signs your child is a victim of bullying