As parents, we have a laundry list of concerns when it comes to our children and their safety and we pray each day that God watches over all his children. Being kind to one another is the Word of God, but as parents we need to lead by example so that our children understand the truth of being kind and are able to help themselves and one another if they are bullied. October is Anti-Bullying Awareness Month and is a great time to bring up the topic of bullying with little ones.
A great way to approach the topic of bullying with children is to recap what they have already been taught in church and at home about kindness to others. It’s definitely heart-warming to listen to children talk about what they’ve learned about kindness and love in church. This is a great way to get the conversation going.
Bullying goes against everything the bible teaches and does not express God’s love for one another. It can make children feel like they are standing alone, so it’s important to talk to them about standing up for their faith and for others. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord and your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
The first thing kids should know is that if they are being bullied, they need to let an adult know. A teacher, principal, coach or parents will be the best people to help resolve the issue so that it does not continue. The best thing we can do as parents is:
- Listen to your child and ask questions about how the bullying started
- Let your child do the talking and listen in a non-judgmental way
- Let your child come up with ideas on how to make the bullying stop by asking questions like, “What do you think you can say or do? What do you think might work? What do you think will help?
- Make sure your child is the one coming up with the solution with your guidance
As parents, let's all make a promise to do our part to teach our children that bullying is never acceptable, and that kindness should always win.
A great way to approach the topic of bullying with children is to recap what they have already been taught in church and at home about kindness to others. It’s definitely heart-warming to listen to children talk about what they’ve learned about kindness and love in church. This is a great way to get the conversation going.
Bullying goes against everything the bible teaches and does not express God’s love for one another. It can make children feel like they are standing alone, so it’s important to talk to them about standing up for their faith and for others. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord and your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
The first thing kids should know is that if they are being bullied, they need to let an adult know. A teacher, principal, coach or parents will be the best people to help resolve the issue so that it does not continue. The best thing we can do as parents is:
- Listen to your child and ask questions about how the bullying started
- Let your child do the talking and listen in a non-judgmental way
- Let your child come up with ideas on how to make the bullying stop by asking questions like, “What do you think you can say or do? What do you think might work? What do you think will help?
- Make sure your child is the one coming up with the solution with your guidance
As parents, let's all make a promise to do our part to teach our children that bullying is never acceptable, and that kindness should always win.
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