Common Signs Your Child Is Being Bullied

Bullying is a tough issue for parents and kids. It scares parents and kids are reluctant to talk about it. Here are some signs to help parents recognize that their child is having trouble with bullies.

Bullying is not a popular topic although the incidents of it have escalated over the years. Surveys report that 1 out of every 5 teenagers are bullied in high school. Considering the number of teenagers, that can amounts to thousands and thousands of students.

What is Bullying?

Good natured teasing may go on between siblings or cousins. Even adults may rib a child now and then. Bullying is different.

When a true case of bullying is occurring, it often involves relentless taunts, teasing, insults and such. This is the work of a person or persons who mean to hurt and torment another child. It may begin as verbal abuse as we described above or it can take the form of physical abuse (shoving, pushing, knocking someone down), Internet abuse (abusive emails, texts and posts on social sites), and malicious rumors.

How to Recognize It

Don’t be alarmed or ashamed if you don’t notice that your child is being bullied. Children are great at hiding things that they don’t want discovered. And, unless the abuse is physical and leads to noticeable injuries, it is hard to see mental scars. But, you can learn to recognize the signs that something is going on with your child.

Weight loss – We see our children every day and a great loss of weight is a sign that something is going on especially if they never talked about a weight loss program. It could be that they are avoiding any place the bully might be including the lunchroom.
Big appetite at dinner – After not eating all day, your child will be even hungrier at the evening meal. It could be a sign that they are not eating lunch at school.
Mood swings – This can result when your child is experiencing bullying but doesn’t know how to handle it. They may be moodier than usual, especially if they are teenagers, and often sad or anxious.
Avoid certain situations – If your child usually rides the bus to school, they may begin to ask you to give them a ride and pick them up instead.
Tiredness – Your child may exhibit a lack of energy because they are not sleeping well at night. They may even nap more often in the afternoon or give up activities they enjoy.

If your child shows these possible signs of being bullied, don’t be alarmed. Find ways to discuss the subject with them to find out more about the situation.