Is your child being bullied?
Unfortunately, bullying is a common occurrence. Bullying occurs once every 7 minutes on the playground and once every 25 minutes in the classroom (Pepler et al., 1997). Bullying comes in many different forms, direct and indirect (see graph). Bullying is hurtful and harmful and is NOT a normal part of growing up. If your child is being bullied, act now!
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View detailsHow to tell if your child is being bullied?
Children don’t always speak up when they’re being bullied. A change in your child’s behavior may be a clue that they are being bullied.
Warning signs
- Fear of going to school or complaining about feeling ill in the mornings
- Skipping school or starting to do poorly in school
- "Losing" belongings or coming home with damaged clothes or books
- Coming home, or to school, with unexplained bruises or cuts
- Having nightmares, becoming withdrawn
- Bullying other children
- Attempting or talking about suicide
Contact Dr. Pettigrew to learn what parents can do to prevent and stop bullying and to help your child or teen cope with bullying and develop greater self-confidence.