Bullying In Preschool: Effect And How To Deal With It

Bullying is something that worries parents across the world. No one wants their child to be either a victim or a bully. Though we associate bullying with older kids, studies have shown that bullying is also prevalent in preschools in La Puente, CA. to some degree. Children in preschool-age often do rough tumble play and fighting; so, it often becomes hard to distinguish between physical bullying and play. 

So, the emphasis should be on who is being hurt in the situation. If one child is always being the victim and the other the proprietor, then it is a clear sign of bullying and the teachers need to talk with the children’s parents. If the incident is one time with both getting hurt to some degree, then it was just rough play and nothing more. Apart from physical bullying, preschooler often undergoes social (excluding a particular child from group activity) bullying to mental bullying (name-calling). All these need to be taken seriously and the response should be fast and meaningful. 

A preschool is the first place a child goes from the security of his or her home. Hence, if he or she faces or even indulges in bullying in this crucial stage of development, it can lead to long term effects. Short term effect includes fear of going to school, sleep disturbance and social isolation. The long- term effect on a child who is being bullied include difficulty in maintaining social relationships, poor school performance because the child does not want to go to school and even increased risk of substance abuse. 

If your child is showing signs of being bullied, you need to talk with the teachers pronto. All the involved children’s parents also need to be notified and communicated with. In the classroom, teachers should have lessons on developing empathy skills to stop bullying. Another thing Preschool La Puente, CA children need to be taught is how to be assertive in such situations. Teaching social skills is also important in combating preschool bullying. Plus, problem-solving activities need to be regularly done in the classroom so that children learn conflict resolution without violence.