Teasing, name-calling, pestering, “kids being kids” – call it what you want, but most children will be touched by bullying in some way by the time they graduate high school. It’s important as parents to talk to your children about bullying early on. The sad reality is that to those bullied and who are witnesses to the act of bullying can be negatively impacted not just as children, but well into adulthood.
Children who are bullied might deal with mental health issues. They are more likely to have anxiety, or even face levels of depression, sadness, loneliness and more. These children are also more likely to have trouble doing well in school – their grades and test scores may fall, and they might skip or drop out of school completely.
The negative impact of bullying on a child’s academic achievement can cause them trouble in getting into a decent college, if they go at all. It can also make it harder for them to graduate high school or get a good job when they are older.
Children who bear witness to bullying have been found to have an increased use of alcohol, cigarettes, and controlled substances. They are also more likely to have the same mental health problems as the children who are bullied themselves. It’s not uncommon for them to be so bothered by what they have seen that they too skip and drop out of school. In the worst cases they feel pressured to bully someone too.
Children who bully others can be violent well into adulthood. They are more likely to get into fights, break the law, abuse drugs and alcohol, and more. Some even become so overwhelm with guilt that they are abusive towards their partners, parents, and even themselves.
The bottom line is that bullying is detrimental to the victims, the bystanders, and the bullies. Bullying has been linked to an increased risk of suicide, and a host of mental health issues. It’s not funny, and it’s not a phase. It must be stopped. If your child’s school doesn’t have an anti-bullying initiative, click here to learn what you can do stop bullying.