The Dangers of Being Bullied and What You Can Do to Stop It – GDP024
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Episode Overview:
Are you a parent of a child who is being bullied? Has your child come to you with complaints of being bullied at school or even online through social media? The dangers of being bullied are so common in our society and the impact can be life-altering. If you suspect your child is a victim, you will want to listen to this episode featuring Tina Meier.
Key Takeaways:
Learn how to talk to your kids about being bullied
Discover the questions to ask
Why it is so critical to listen to our kids when they come to us about being bullied even if we feel it might not be a big deal
Learn how to help your kids protect themselves from being bullied
The dangers of being bullied and how you can help your kids deal with their emotions
The Fatal Dangers of Being Bullied
On October 16, 2006, Tina Meier’s life took a devastating turn when her 13 year-old daughter, Megan Taylor Meier, took her own life after being cyberbullied by an adult neighbor. In December of 2007, Tina Meier founded the Megan Meier Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to promote awareness, education and positive change in response to the issues surrounding bullying, cyberbullying and suicide.
Tina worked closely with Senator Scott Rupp and Governor Matt Blunt’s Internet Task Force for the State of Missouri to help pass Senate Bill 818, which amended the harassment and stalking laws to include electronic communication in August of 2008.
Tina has spread the Foundation’s message and Megan’s story through national and international media appearances, including network television stations, radio, newsmagazines and syndicated talk shows. She accepted a Presidential invitation to attend the 2011 White House Anti-Bullying Conference, presented at the U.S. Department of Education’s Safe and Drug Free Schools National Conference in Washington, DC and served as a consultant during the production of the ABC Family movie, “Cyberbully.”
Today, Tina continues to travel throughout the country educating youth, parents, educators and professionals on the dangers of being bullied and the consequences associated with the harmful effects of bullying and cyberbullying.
How Parents Can Help Their Kids
Has your child ever come to you and told you they are being bullied? How did you respond? If you are like most parents, you probably told them something like:
“Don’t worry about what they think, just ignore them and they will go away.”
“Sweetheart, you know those things they are saying about you are not true. You are beautiful and amazing. Don’t listen to them.”
We immediately want to tell them what to do and how to handle it. A lot of times we don’t take the time to ask about their feelings. At times we don’t give them the freedom to just vent about the situation and share their concerns. Our reaction is to go into “protection mode” and give instruction on how to handle it.
However, Tina shares why it is so important for us to do more listening and less talking when it comes to communicating with our kids about being bullied. When it comes to the dangers of being bullied, it is absolutely critical that we give our kids the permission to vent and express their feelings instead of immediately telling them how to handle it.
Role Play
Tina tells us that the best strategy is to first give your child permission to openly vent about the situation and to make sure their voices are being heard. As parents, we need to validate their feelings. Me must seek to understand them first. Once we have done that, we can then help them with different strategies to handle the situation. In this episode, Tina shares several examples to help parents. One powerful tip in particular was to role play with your child. Put them in a practice situation and help them with their word choice.
Warning signs your kids are being bullied
Tina shares some specific examples of what to look for if your child is not openly talking to you.
- Not Eating
- Overeating
- No interest in family gatherings
- Child wants to spend more time in their room and by themselves
- Lost interest in sports or social time with friends
- #1 Sign of being bullied is a sudden drop in grades
Free Resources:
Check out a free chapter from: THE DAD’S EDGE on UNLIMITED PATIENCE HERE
Check out this free resource on: CONNECTION WITH YOUR SPOUSE
Check out this free resource on: CONNECTION WITH YOUR KIDS
Links
- Amazon Bestselling Book: The Dad’s Edge – 9 Simple Ways to Have: Unlimited Patience, Improved Relationships, and Positive Lasting Memories
- Larry’s New Course: The Dad’s Edge – 6 Strategies to Achieve: Unlimited Patience, Improved Relationships, and Positive Lasting Memories
- Larry’s Twitter Page
- Larry’s Facebook Page
- Larry’s Instagram Page
- Shawn’s Website
- Shawn’s Twitter Page
- Shawn’s Facebook Page
- Shawn’s Instagram Page
Tina Meier’s Links:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.meganmeierfoundation.org
- Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/meganmeierfoundation
- Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/MeganMeierFndn
- Instagram Link: @meganmeierfoundation
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinameier/li>
Books Mentioned In This Episode
STRONG FATHERS, STRONG DAUGHTERS
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