Kids and teens are hesitant to talk about being bullied. Parents should watch for sudden changes in your child’s behavior.

Signs of Being Bullied

Signs can include:

Withdrawal

Depression

Reluctance to go to school

Sudden drop in grades

Self-deprecating talk

Staying away from friends

Crying Episodes

Frequent complaints of headaches and/or stomach aches

Unexplained bruises

Long-Term Effects of Bullying

Bullies create a constant fear in their victims. Some kids may:

Lose all self-esteem

Suffer from severe depression

Could turn to drug and alcohol use

Could start self harming

Some kids are so tormented that they use suicide as an alternative.

Kids and teens look to their parents for protection and advice. Many think bullying will toughen kids up or that it’s a right of passage. It used to be like that. Not anymore! Our kids are subjected to more than we ever were. It’s a different world today!

We cannot allow our children to hurt from these senseless acts of empowerment from other kids who have learned this behavior.

And remember – what is learned can be unlearned.

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