Coping with teasing

Apart from the child’s family, the school is likely to be the next most important
environment affecting a child’s adjustment. Children who are obviously visibly
different to their peers may attract negative attention, leading to teasing and
bullying. This sort of treatment may in turn affect the social and interpersonal
skills that the child develops, and in some cases can even interfere with learning.
Although some children are able to confide in their parents about experiences of
having been teased or bullied, others may feel unable to tell anyone about how
they feel. Some indications that a childmay be being bullied at school include:
l Reluctance to attend school.
l Reluctance to go out and play.
l Showing signs of low mood, e.g. being less talkative, appearing troubled
or sad.
l Displaying disruptive behaviour.
When it has been established that a child is being bullied, this needs to be taken
seriously by both parents and teachers and immediate action should be taken by
them. This may mean that parents need tomeet with the child’s teacher to discuss
their concerns and find ways of dealing with the problem. Some schools have
well-defined procedures in place to deal with bullying and teasing. It is important
that parents are informed about how the school intends to deal with the problem
and the effectiveness of any action taken. Childrenwho are bullied need to bemade
aware that it is not their ‘fault’ that they are being teased. Thismay encourage them
to discuss their problems with parents, teachers or even friends, rather then feeling
isolated and attempting to cope on their own. Children should also be encouraged
to recognise that they have some control over the situation and that they can rely
on the support of adults in these situations. Parents can help by discussing with
the child how he or she might deal with rude comments or teasing, and teach the
child to assert themself in a non-aggressive way.

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