Children Who Bully Articles

Is Your Child a Bully? What To Look For…

By Mandy-Jane Clarke

Is your child a bully?  To be certain, there are specific indicators to look for in determining to what extent your child is involved in bully behavior.

Have you received a call from your child’s school informing you that your child has been involved in a serious incident?  More often that not, bullying behavior is most prominent in schools and can encompass verbal or physical abuse.

Does your child treat his or her siblings in an unkind way?  One of the first signs of bully behavior is verbal abuse.  If not corrected, it can escalate into physical abuse.

What type of behavior does your child exhibit around his or her friends?  Does it seem as if your child dominates the group?  Bullies command attention.  Friends of bullies will usually adhere to whatever is asked of them in order to stay in favor with the leader of the group. 

Does your child have any hobbies?  If so, what are they?  Does your child spend most of the time in his or her room listening to rap music or spending an inordinate amount of time on the computer?  Since one of the signs of bullying behavior is cutting school, do you notice your child has relatively little homework?

Another sign of bullying behavior is total disdain for others. How does your child communicate with you and the family at home?  Is his or her tone sarcastic?  Does your child talk back to you without showing any signs of remorse?  Does your child talk about other kids in a demeaning manner?  Does your child exhibit apathy when others are concerned?   

Your child can be a bully if he considers violence to be the only way to solve a problem.  Does your child exhibit violence at home?  Does he or she throw things or hit his or her siblings?  Does your child watch violent shows on TV or the internet?  Does your child engage in playing violent video games or listen to music that has violent undertones?

Do you frequently check your child’s backpack?  Do you find any items that you know your child could not have purchased?  Are cigarettes, alcohol, or a small weapon among the items in the backpack?  These are additional bullying signs that can confirm your suspicions.

Having no respect for authority figures is another bullying sign.  When you ask your child to do a chore, is there an emotional outburst in complying with your request?  Does your child yell at you and then walk away or go to his or her room?

When your child comes home at the end of the school day, do you notice a difference in your child’s appearance, that is, any scrapes or minute traces of blood on the clothes?  Fighting is another bullying sign and most likely the incident occurred away from school grounds.

Is your child a bully?  If these bullying signs are evident in your home, there is a good chance your child is bullying someone at school as well.  The only way in which you can be absolutely sure your child is a bully is to watch, look, and listen.  Chances are your child’s behavior, while subtle, has all the earmarks of bullying.

This article is courtesy of http://www.Stop-Bullies.com Stop-Bullies.com is a resource site covering specific areas of Bullying including what to do if Your Child Is a Bully.