• Avoidance of certain situations, people, or places Example: pretending to be sick so that he or she does not have to go to school
• Changes in behavior                                           Examples:  being withdrawn and passive, being overly active and aggressive, or being self-destructive
• Frequent crying or feelings of sadness
• Low self-esteem
• Unwillingness to speak or showing signs of fear when asked about certain situations, people, or places
• Unexplained or frequent injuries
• Lower grades or showing signs of learning problems
• Recurrent unexplained physical symptoms such as stomach pains and fatigue

*  These warning signs are taken from the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center.  They may be found at www.safeyouth.org . 

If you believe your child is being bullied...

If you think your child is being bullied, ask your child about the situation.  Many children won’t volunteer this information.  Ask for specifics and write them down.

If your child tells you that he or she is being bullied at school, believe your child.  Again, ask for specifics and write them down.

Contact the school immediately.  Request a meeting.  Share the information from your child.  We will help you and your child in any way possible.

Visit the Coping Strategies page of this website.  It contains ideas for students who are dealing with bullying.

Communication

Sometimes communicating with an adolescent is difficult.  Here are some good discussion starters to open the paths of communication between you and your child. Click here to download a list of discussion starters.