6 Techniques to Help Kids Face Teasing
Nowadays, lots of kids don’t want to go to school because they’re being teased. Bullying doesn’t just happen at school. In fact, it can also happen at the park, hallways, playground, etc. Therefore, it’s very important for kids to learn how to face teasing.
Even though families and schools try to get kids to get along, teasing is very hard to prevent. Children feel bad and humiliated When others make fun of them. Unfortunately, parents can’t always protect children from these unpleasant and harmful situations.
For this reason, it’s important to give them tools and strategies to face teasing. If we teach them from a young age, they’ll be prepared for the conflicts they’ll experience during and after adolescence. Do you want to know more? Keep reading!
How to face teasing: reasons why kids and teens tease
Draw attention
One way to receive attention is through teasing, even if it’s negative. They think it’s better to get negative attention than to not get any attention at all.
Feel superior and powerful
“Many of the kids who bully feel superior when they tease other kids. Also, they feel powerful when they make people angry by teasing.”
– Olweus, 1993 –
Group acceptance
Feeling like they belong in a group can be very powerful. Therefore, some kids will make fun of others to feel accepted by the popular kids.
Not accept differences
On many occasions, kids don’t understand differences. For example, they don’t always understand cultural, racial or physical differences. Instead of helping and understanding these differences, they make fun of them.
Imitation
Some kids imitate what they see at home in other environments. Then, they move and act like how they see their parents act. However, these kids might be living in a violent home.
Techniques to face teasing
- Reinforce their sense of security with love
- Help kids learn to laugh at themselves
- Teach them not to be afraid of what other kids will say. If this teasing continues over time, it’s best for parents to get involved.
Teach appropriate responses to face teasing
Ignore them
Kids who tease almost always give up when they realize that others are ignoring them. Therefore, you can teach your children to turn around without saying anything to bullies.
Also, they can counter them by saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” As parents, it’s important to make sure that your kids are firm in these behaviors since bullies try to get a reaction.
Learn quick answers
It’s important for these responses not to include insults or ridicule. In fact, quick responses will confuse the bully. For example, a standard teasing answer could be, “I know you want to make me angry, but what you say doesn’t affect me, so it isn’t going to work.”
Role play to learn how to face teasing
Parents can practice with kids by role playing. Parents can play the role of a bully saying mean things. Then, kids can pretend to face teasing by using quick responses.
This game will give you lots of tools to face teasing. The more your kids practice them, the more likely they will defeat their bullies.
Provide lots of understanding and love
When children tell parents about these problems, it’s important to be understanding and loving. Therefore, it’s best to look for stories about teasing that have a happy ending.
It’s very important for kids to understand how proud their parents are when they try to face teasing on their own.
These are some techniques that might help your child. However, if this happens at school frequently, it’s important to talk to the teacher. Then, they can help too.
If your child has complained about being teased, these techniques will be very helpful to put into practice.
