Teach Your Child To Handle Teasing

Children can be wonderful, but they are also very cruel. It’s not all your fault: some children have bad role models at home and learn from them. Unfortunately, these attitudes acquired at home harm other children, who do not know how to face these situations. And sometimes there is no alternative but to teach our children how to handle teasing. 

The first thing you need to know is that children are not bad by nature. Most use teasing as a defense method because they believe it is a way (even if wrong) to relate, because they imitate their parents. Some parents dump their frustrations and low self-esteem on their children, others are simply used to this kind of attitude and unintentionally reinforce it.

As parents, we often want to be in our children’s shoes to face these situations. Seeing our little ones suffer and go through these situations brings us an anguish and an anger that only those who live can describe. But this is not the proper way to deal with it: the child needs to learn to face such situations. 

How can I help my child deal with other children’s teasing?

listen your son

First of all, listen to what your child has to say. It can be a reciprocal situation with another child or simply play. Analyze the situation and also ask the teachers. Being informed before acting is critical. Encourage your child to share what happens in the classroom and show that he can be honest with you.

don’t humiliate him

Many parents humiliate their children in an attempt to be brave. These parents believe that calling their children cowards or whiners will rouse their courage. That’s not how it happens. A child does not respond to teasing like an adult and therefore needs to show empathy.

Teach your child to ignore teasing

A good method in these situations is to ignore whoever is taunting you. Most of the time, children end up getting tired of the fact that their malicious games have no effect. When this happens they stop insisting, and even start to treat the child they were teasing well  as if nothing had happened.

use the intelligence

Intelligence can be a very powerful weapon. Teach your child to respond quickly and ironically and you will soon notice the results. Remember that this strategy does not consist in provoking the other, as that would be playing their game. Nor should you respond with violence or insults. This is simply a way to let the bully know that your child is unaffected by their comments.

Encourage your child to join other children

Friendships are a good way to prevent a child from being isolated if they are the victim of teasing. She will feel protected and valued and either the bully will stop messing with her or he will learn that teasing doesn’t matter. Also, there may be other children in the same situation. In that case, it can be beneficial to both because it would generate mutual understanding.

Watch out for danger signs

Sometimes what we consider bullshit can be something serious. Sometimes, regrettably, the teasing turns into persecution. In this case, the first thing to do is to talk to the teachers and those responsible for the school to explain your doubts. From that moment on, and if the situation becomes more serious, we must report it. 

What if it’s my son who teases the other kids?

If it’s our child who teases other children, should we seriously reflect on why he does this? We must not provoke a drama, but, as mentioned before, listen to their motives. It may be that he is also a victim of teasing and needs help, or that he is mimicking certain toxic behaviors of ours. If that’s the case, it’s not just him who will need to change his attitude… we will too.

It needs to be explained that teasing other people is wrong. This attitude hurts other people and chances are, if you keep it up, no one will want to be your friend. Explain to your child that if he is nice to people, they are more likely to be nice to him too. And, of course, it should be noted that helping others will always make us happier than destroying them.