As Anti-Bullying Month kicks off, experts are calling on parents and educators to take a proactive role in preventing bullying before it starts. From fostering empathy to creating safe spaces for open dialogue, autism specialist Dr. Breanne Hartley and veteran educator Mario Brown share crucial strategies to protect vulnerable students and promote a culture of kindness in schools.
How can parents know if their child is being bullied?
The first step in knowing if your child is the victim of bullying is to know their typical behavior, Hartley said. Understanding their baseline can help parents and adults around them learn if there is an issue.
“When a child who typically is smiling and sharing starts to stop smiling and stop sharing, those things can definitely be a sign (of bullying),” Hartley said. “When a child who doesn’t usually pick on other children starts picking on others, that could be a sign.”
As chief clinical officer of UNIFI Autism Care, Hartley said parents of children on the spectrum should be on the lookout for bullying at school because they differ from their peers.
Differences in social skills, communication and behavior can make children stand out.
“These things in combination are going to make (children on the spectrum) more prone to being singled out,” Hartley said.
Brown, the Regional Special Projects for Indianapolis Phalen Leadership Academy Schools, said parents should look for kids who become quiet and reserved.
“A lot of kids go into hiding,” Brown said. “A lot of kids put their hoods up, put their face down and try not to be seen.”
What is the current climate of bullying?
The first step in tackling bullying is understanding students and how much time is spent online.
“(Bullying) is not really even physical anymore,” Brown said. “There’s a lot of students who come (to school) in the mornings where they have an issue about somebody making posts, making DMs.”
For children on the spectrum, Hartley said the first step in tackling the issue is a bit different. These kids face more in-person bullying, so the best thing a parent can do is be inclusive and be a role model.
“Adults could be the model for those children who are bullies,” Hartley said.
How can parents and teachers prevent bullying?
For children on the spectrum, raising awareness and staying inclusive are the key tactics to prevent bullying.
“Saying kind things about someone’s differences versus saying mean things can make a huge difference,” Hartley said.
Adults can first work to educate themselves, then pass that knowledge and understanding onto their children and students to encourage a kind environment.
Brown encourages parents to monitor their children’s social media and understand the culture of posts.
“The moment something on Instagram or Twitter or TikTok is posted, it’s out of the victim’s hands forever unless we or somebody else can report it, but the reality is that the damage has already been done,” Brown said.
Brown’s school system offers workshops to parents to understand social media and parent-teacher collaboration to ensure students’ safety online. He said the key for educators is talking to the kids to learn the ins and outs.
“It’s really just communicating with the kids to see what’s going on, to stay in touch on how we can prevent bullying from going forward,” Brown said.
To read more about anti-bullying month, visit pacer.org/bullying.
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
