How to teach kids to stand up for others

October is National Bullying Prevention Month and an ideal opportunity to talk to your children about bullying. One important lesson to teach them is that when a friend or peer is being harassed, those who witness the situation are just as involved. Here are four topics you can discuss with your children to help them stand up for others.

1. Empathy
By learning to understand and relate to other people’s emotions, children can more easily recognize bullying behavior. Ask them how it feels when someone is mean to them and teach them that other kids will likely feel the same way.

2. Support
You can teach your children to stand up to bullies with simple phrases delivered in a calm but assertive manner. Sentences like “you’re not being funny, you’re just mean” can go a long way. Practice a few phrases at home with your kids, so they’re ready to use them if needed.

3. Inclusion
If a child is being bullied at school, it can mean a lot to them to be invited to play with others. Encourage your kids to make an effort to socialize with classmates who are bullied or don’t have someone to talk to or sit with at lunch.

4. Report
Kids might be afraid to tell adults when they see another child being bullied because they don’t want to be labeled as a tattletale. Teach your children the difference between tattling (hoping to get someone in trouble) and reporting (hoping to get someone out of trouble).

The most important message to leave kids with is that they have the power to make a difference and help stop bullying behavior.