Time in with Dr. Tim
All parents have moments when they wish they could consult with an expert. If you have a question about your tween or teen’s behavior, send it to Dr.Tim@youthvillages.org. If Dr. Tim and his staff of experts feature your question in a column, he’ll change names and other specifically identifying information. For more: www.youthvillages.org; www.janiesfund.org.
I recently had to visit the principal’s office at my 12-year-old daughter’s middle school because she has been bullying other girls at school. How do I stop this?
Deal with the situation immediately and firmly. Never minimize or excuse this behavior. Bullying is a serious matter, and your daughter must understand that this will not be tolerated. The school probably will help you teach this lesson. Most schools have a no tolerance bullying policy, and your daughter may face school suspension, even expulsion.
Where did this behavior come from? There’s a back story for every bully. You need to find out what that is. Has your daughter been bullied in the past or is there something else going on? How long has her bullying behavior been going on and how severe is the situation? Understanding the reasons behind the bullying may help you determine your next steps. If you can deal successfully with the underlying reasons, the bullying will probably stop.
What form is the bullying taking? Be aware that girls bully differently than boys. They may exclude girls from their circle, start rumors or use subtle put downs and verbal humiliation. This is just as hurtful and harmful to others as physical bullying. Cyber-bullying, through Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, also is dangerous and damaging.
You will need to have a series of hard conversations with your daughter and increase your monitoring of different aspects of her life and interactions with peers.
A common trait in youth who bully is a lack of empathy, but those skills can be taught. At Youth Villages, we teach teens to write a story multiple times, from each character’s perspective to stretch a child’s ability to see from a perspective other than his/her own. Having youth volunteer and work with others gives them exposure to people outside of their usual world and can increase their ability to build relationships across differences. Lastly, parents must be deliberate in modeling empathy and talking openly about the feelings and perspectives of others.
As a parent, you must set behavior expectations, rules and appropriate consequences if any more bullying occurs. Reward improvements in behavior. At Youth Villages, we remind parents they are in charge and dealing with situations such as the one you describe is your responsibility. Finally, be sure you support and nurture your daughter and keep the lines of communication open.
For more information on bullying, visit these websites:http://www.brightfutures.org/mentalhealth/pdf/families/mc/bullying.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullying_factsheet-a.pdf
http://www.stopbullying.gov
Tim Goldsmith, Ph.D., is chief clinical officer at Youth Villages, where he directs a staff of clinical specialists who oversee the treatment of more than 23,000 children and youth every year.
Rock superstar Steven Tyler has announced Janie’s Fund, a philanthropic partnership with Youth Villages to bring hope and healing for many of our country’s most vulnerable girls who have suffered the trauma of abuse and neglect.
For more: www.youthvillages.org; www.janiesfund.org.