Bullying Stats/Facts

With bullying becoming an increasing problem with today's youth, taking this bullying quiz can help determine if your child is a bully or is being victimized by a bully. It is important to watch out for the warning signs listed in our bullying quiz so you can help help your child.

Unfortunately the number of bullying incidents reported are becoming more and more frequent among both young boys and girls. Children can encounter bullying everywhere from school to the Internet. In this bullying quiz, find out if your child is exhibiting violent signs of bullying, or possible signs of being the victim of bullying. 

1. Does  your child often make excuses not to go to school?
2. Is your child often angry, sad, depressed, withdrawn or full of self-loathing?
3. Is your child ever emotionally erratic?
4. Does your child come home frequently hurt or injured by a particular person or group of people?
5. Is your child frequently picked on in the presence of others?
6. Does your child often have his/her belongings missing, stolen or taken?

According to the results of our bullying quiz, if your child is demonstrating any of these warning signs, it might be an indication they are being bullied in some form. If your child is experiencing any of the above scenarios, it might be a good idea to talk to his/her teacher about incidents going on at school. Talk to your child directly to try and find out if they are a victim of bullying. 

If your child is a victim of bullying, it is a good idea to sit down with him/her and go over a list of do's and don'ts to help keep them safe in cases of bullying.

• Don't get into a physical fight with a bully or try to retaliate
• Don't believe the insults about you
• Don't ignore the bullying
• Don't waste time in place where a bully might target you, including physical locations as well as online
• Don't believe you deserve to get picked on.
• Do write down how you feel
• Do learn to say and believe good things about yourself and your personality
• Do speak confidently to the bully
• Do walk or run away if a bully tries to hurt you

There are also a few warning signs to look for in our bullying quiz to determine if your child might be a bully at school or online.

1. Does your child exhibit positive views toward violence?
2. Is your child often aggressive toward adults including teachers?
3. Does your child demonstrate a need to dominate or control others and situations?
4. Is  your male child physically stronger than his peers?
5. Does your child show out-of-control anger issues?
6. Does your child often test limits or break rules?
7. Is your child good at manipulating his/her way out of situations
8. Does your child show little sympathy toward others who are bullied?

As a parent it is important to teach your child good values about how to treat others. Often times, children who bully do it because they feel bullied as well either at home or by their peers, as indicated in our bullying quiz. By not bullying your children with harsh discipline, a child is less likely to become a bully themselves. For children who bully, it is a good idea to help them talk through their underlying emotional issues in counseling or therapy. Many children also might need to find a creative and physical outlet like sports to help them channel their emotional frustrations. 

Sources:Jay McGraw's Life Strategies for Dealing with Bullies by Jay McGraw, mychildsafety.net