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meetings. Send your own emails. Follow up and ask the parents if they’re ok
and if things are getting better.
I know monitoring bullying at school seems overwhelming enough, but
be aware of cyberbullying. Know what your child is doing online, what apps
they’ve downloaded, who they’re talking to, what relationships are like with
those people, and how they’re feeling. Talk to them about cyberbullying and
work together to combat it.
Be prepared so you know what to do if you hear about bullying happening.
What’s your child’s school policy on bullying? Who are the guidance counselors
and how do you reach them? Do you have a way to contact other parents? Do
you have your child’s teacher’s preferred contact information?
Next time you have a parent/teacher conference, be proactive about bullying.
Ask what steps they take to prevent bullying and what happens if bullying is
identified. Ask them what they prefer you do if you hear of bullying happening
in or out of the classroom. Ask how you can help combat bullying and encourage
an open dialogue with the teacher.
Bullying isn’t something to shrug off. It’s not just a rite of passage. Bullying
is an epidemic plaguing our children. It affects how they excel in school, their
emotional health, physical health, and often even has effects that linger into
adulthood.
Most horrifically, bullied children are at risk of suicide. I know it’s so
uncomfortable and heartbreaking to consider a life like Seven’s so senselessly
lost. But we need to honor his memory by doing everything we can so we don’t
lose another.
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