How Do You Teach Your Child To Deal With Teasing?
Children can be wonderful, but they can also be very cruel. It’s not all their fault to some extent: some have bad examples at home that they pick up. Unfortunately, these home-acquired behaviors can harm other children who don’t know how to handle them. Sometimes we have no choice but to teach our children how to deal with teasing.
The first thing to remember is that children are not inherently evil. Most use teasing as a defense mechanism because they think it’s a (wrong) way to associate or imitate their parents.
Some parents pass on their frustrations and low self-esteem to their children. Others are simply used to these kinds of behaviors and inadvertently empower them.
As parents, we often wish that we are the ones who come into contact with these children. Seeing our children suffer and have a bad time causes a pain and an anger that only those involved with it can describe. But it is not the right way: the child has to learn to deal with such situations on his own.
How can I teach my child to deal with teasing?
Listen to him/her
First of all, listen to what your child has to say. The teasing may go back and forth with another child or it may just be a game. Analyze the situation and ask the teachers about it. Being informed before taking action is key. Encourage your child to tell you what is happening in class. Also show him that he can be honest with you.
Don’t humiliate your child
Many parents humiliate their children in an effort to be brave. They think calling them cowards or crybabies will make them strong. But that’s not how it goes. Children do not react to pests like adults. Therefore, empathy must be shown.
Teach them to ignore teasing
A good method in situations like this is to ignore the children they are teasing. Most of the time, kids will get tired of their evil jokes failing. When that happens, they stop urging and even treat the child as if nothing ever happened.
Use wit
Wit can be a strong weapon. Teach your child to respond quickly and ironically. In a short time you will see results. Remember that this does not mean that you are going to fool the other child, because that would mean that you are playing the same game.
Also, your child should not respond with violence or insults. Your child should respond in a way that lets the bully know that the child is not being influenced by his comments.
Encourage them to stay together with other kids
Friendships are a very good way to prevent a child from isolating themselves in these kinds of incidents. They will feel protected and valued and the bully will stop teasing your child or realize they don’t care.
Moreover, there may be more children in the same situation. In that case it could be helpful as it would generate a great mutual understanding.
Watch out for warning signs
Perhaps something we consider nonsense could be serious after all. Unfortunately, there are times when an insult ends in harassment. In that case, the first thing to do is talk to the teachers and those in charge to express your doubts. From that moment on, you must report if the situation worsens.
What if my child teases others?
If it is our child who is teasing others, we should seriously consider why they are doing this. We should not create drama but, as mentioned earlier, listen to their motives.
They may also be teased themselves and need help. Or they imitate certain toxic behaviors of ours. If this is the case, they should not only change their own attitudes…..we must also change our own attitudes.
It is necessary to explain that mocking others is wrong. It hurts a lot of people and it is likely that if they continue like this, no one will want to be their friend anymore.
If they are kind to others, others will probably be nice to them too. And of course we should also emphasize that helping others will always make us happier than destroying them.
