Start at early age to stop kids from becoming bullies: doc
Posted February 29, 2012 8:10 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – There are ways to stop kids from turning into bullies, but it needs to be caught early. News1130 is getting some advice from a clinical psychologist on this Pink Shirt Day
“There are a lot of really good resources on the Internet. Show them a video and then actually play it out with them,” suggests Dr. Lynda Murdoch.
“Some parents tend to minimize it because it doesn’t result in serious injuries. Then, if you don’t deal with it at a young age, it develops into a more serious problem,” she explains.
She tells us kids who turn into bullies start showing signs at an early age, so parents need to do something about it. “Rather than dismissing it, if they [ask] ‘What is the skill that my child needs help developing?’ then they can help their child develop into a socially-competent teenager.”
Murdoch believes the real problem is bullies don’t know how to express emotions such as frustration, anger or fear. That’s why she thinks role-playing is a great way to get them to feel empathy.
Bullying in the workplace
You hear about the bullying problem with kids all the time, but we forget that adults can be bullies too.
If you’re a victim of vicious rumours, personal attacks or isolation at work, you could be dealing with a bully — and may even be your boss. Anita Huberman with the Surrey Board of Trade wants you to know such behaviour shouldn’t happen.
“Bullying should not be confused with management styles. Bullying in the workplace is negative and persistent abuse,” she explains.
Huberman adds bullying in the workplace should addressed because high levels of stress can impact productivity and hurt the bottom line.
