So what is bullying?

Basically there is two forms of bullying.

1. Physical

This tends to be associated more with boys. Boys are definately more physically violent. But Girls too take bullying to the physical level. Hitting, pushing, kicking are usually used by a girl bully.

1. Emotional

Emotional bullying comes from girls and boys but is more common with girls. They verbally and emotionally abuse their victim on a continuous basis. In the technological word of today this emotional bullying comes home with the child in forms of emailing and text messages to the victim.

Either of these methods is equally damaging to the child on the receiving end. Don't think that emotional bullying is the lesser of two evils. Emotional bullying tends to go on for longer periods of time in more subtle ways where it is not always obvious to parents and teachers that it is happening.

As a parent we must be aware of what is going on. As I said in an earlier post. I too was bullied in high school, so it is possible that I was more aware of the signs and picked up on it quicker then a parent who has never been bullied themselves. I certainly understood how it affected my daughters self assteem and emotional well being and understood how it comes home with you and you have to let it out if you are holding it in all day at school. I understood how it can actually make the victim not see that there life is not always going to be like this and yes I admit I thought of suicide when I was a teenager. And knowing what I know now - suicide is never the answer as the years pass, quickly even though they might not seem to at the time - you grow up and get away from influences of these children. So even if you are being bullied never contemplate suicide it is just not the answer.

Adults who where bullies as a child can grow up being an adult bully and if they end up having children chances are they will be bullies as well. If the parent in turn bullies the child they will possibly go the other way and become a very within drawn troubled child.

Victims of bullying sometimes tend to bully others. My daughter tended to bully her younger sister whilst this was going on. You have to be very careful as a parent that you don't allow the older child who is bullying their sibling to think that this is ok as damage will be done to the quieter younger sibling. Understand why the older child is bullying and knock it on the head and advise they do not like being bullied so they should not bully their sister.