Do You Know If Your Child Is Being Bullied?

        Up to 160,000 students miss school every day to avoid being bullied. As many as 25% of students say they have been bullied in school. With such high numbers saying they have been bullied, how do you know if your child is one of them?

        It's not easy to know and it's not the first thing one usually thinks of when school isn't going well.

        Following are some signs that parents should look for that are possible indications of being bullied. While bullying isn't always the answer, it is always something that should be included in the possible reasons for these symptoms.

• Has his behavior changed lately? Is he more sullen, withdrawn?
• Are his grades going downhill?
• Does he not want to go to school? Is he often sick or not feeling well on school days?

What you can do if you suspect your child is being bullied:

Let him know it's not his fault-it's the bully that has the problem.

Whether or not your child admits to being bullied, let him know that no one has the right to bully him. Encourage him to tell you and an adult at school if anyone bullies him.

If your child isn't sure, have him answer these three questions:
1. Did someone say or do something that made him feel bad or afraid?
2. Has it happened more than once?
3. Is that person bigger, older, or more powerful than your child?

If the answer to these questions is "yes" then he is being bullied.

Go on your local school board's website and learn what resources they have in place to deal with bully behavior and what their policies are. Work with school personnel to stop all forms of bullying.

What has been your experience with bullying behavior? Do you have any suggestions to add that might be helpful to others?