Bullying prevention and what to do if your child is being bullied.
“An empowered, happy child is the product of the words their role models used to wire their brains from the start of their existence. The adult that you see later in life is the result of that. Whether they are courageous and confident or weak and defeated.” -Lauren Magers.
When my daughter was in second grade, she was bullied by another girl in her class. We hear stories about bullying, reflect on our own experiences, and see it in the media. But I never thought it would happen to my children. Here it was happening to my own daughter.
Unfortunately, bullying is common during childhood. Yet, gone are the days when the bullying started and ended with the ring of the school bell. Now, bullying can continue in the child’s home via the internet and social media.
The National Bullying Prevention Center put together a comprehensive overview of bullying studies and states that:
- 1 in every 5 students reports being bullied
- The negative effects of bullying include depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and even dropping out of school.
I know it may feel overwhelming to face something that seems so unstoppable or inevitable. But as parents and guardians, we want nothing more than to raise powerful, radiating, loving, happy humans. We want them to hold onto their power no matter what they may face.
In order to ensure this, you have to get down to the nitty-gritty. You must guide your children from a very young age to have the unshakeable self-confidence and self-love to stand in their power in the event of bullying.
My daughter, who has been raised with The Happy Life System since day one, knows that there are no problems in life, there are only challenges and solutions. With a strong foundation built from harmony, love, and compassion, she was able to see life through a different lens and honor the bullying situation– even at the tender age of seven.
She informed her school principal of what was taking place and asked to have a meeting with the girl who was bullying her. During the meeting, with strength and composure, she lovingly and openly communicated how much the bullying hurt her heart. The other girl responded with vulnerability and admitted that she really wanted to be her friend, but this was the only way she knew how to get attention from other people. She admitted that it was how her brothers treated her.
You see, it was a learned behavior from her environment. She had bottled up emotions and anger inside of her. These displaced feelings led her to attempt to meet her needs in the only way she knew how.
With grace, my daughter said, “I forgive you. Next time, you can come with love and share your heart. Be you! I would have loved to play with you.” When the meeting was over, they skipped out the door to the playground together.
So, how exactly did a seven-year-old child take this challenge head-on and understand how to solve it?
It all started with building her self-mastery pillars with The Happy Life System. Her daily practice within the pillars allowed her to love herself so deeply that she was willing to build a bridge in strength and self-confidence with the other human in the situation. She had the ability to stand in her truth, knowing who she was, and face the behavior with love.
She was not swayed by the ridicule of the girl; she could see past that because she had a connection with herself. In taking this stand, her resilience allowed the little girl to learn and awaken to a new, loving way to connect with others. My daughter took the opportunity to be the role model and show her a new way.
Where can I start to inspire this in my child?
Start practicing these two building blocks with your child today:
1. Build Positive Mental Mindset With The Mind Pillar:
Have your child write down three things they love about themselves every day. Encourage them to say it out loud to themselves in the mirror. This will begin to build their muscle of self-love.
2. Build Confidence with Courage Pillar:
Have your child set a goal each week to accomplish one thing they have never done before. It could be saying hello to someone new or singing in front of a crowd. This will begin to allow them to trust themselves and build confidence.
This is just the beginning! Check out my courses which are loaded with powerful knowledge to continue with you and your child’s journey to experience your ultimate happiness.
