Today is the last day of school for my kids. While I am excited that they will be home for the summer, I'm also shocked at how quickly they are growing up. In fact, it's hard for me to believe that my little girl is going to enter her last year of middle school next year. It seems like the time has gone by way too quickly.
Middle school has caused my daughter and me to grow and to stretch. While she is taking on more responsibility, I am learning how to guide her through it. I also have realized that bullying becomes more and more of an issue as each year passes.
Although the incidents my daughter has dealt with up to this point have been relatively minor, bullying will be an issue that needs to be discussed on a more regular basis as she comes in contact with new people and makes new friends.
As parents, we want to be sure our kids know how to handle a bully, should they encounter one. But do you know that we need to teach them not to be a bully as well? We can't just assume our children will not bully other kids.
Despite our best parenting efforts, it may happen. But there are things you can do to prevent your child from becoming a bully. The first of which is learning what makes a bully, a bully. Check out my article on the risk factors for becoming a bully.