Good afternoon everyone, You may have already noticed a flyer out for Cuppa for Connection subsequent four sessions will focus on conversations about our children keeping them mentally and physically safe.
WARNING we are exploring some sensitive and triggering topics. Please do practice self-care through this series. If you or anyone is impacted or needs extra support, please contact me or Emily Naclerio.
The topics we will cover include bullying in children, anxiety in children, depression in children and body safety and protection in children. This series of topics aims to help us as Mumma’s, our family members and the wider community become more mindful of what can and does happen. To help us look out for our little loves as they thrive and grow into young adults and also equip us with strategies to approach these issues. So, let’s put our brave and curious hats on to help ourselves understand, get educated and be prepared to help our most precious little loves.
Our topic next week is Bullying in children (Monday 3rd April 8pm ZOOM) Bullying, unfortunately, is one of those things most of us hate to acknowledge about growing up. We know it is there and likely have some experience of it personally or know someone that has suffered from it, or perhaps you’re currently experiencing it with your child/children.
So, what exactly is bullying? According to the Kids Helpline website, it is seen as nastiness to another person repeatedly. It’s not a disliking of someone or an argument but rather seen as a misuse of power and ongoing intention to harm verbally, physically, or socially. Bullying can occur anywhere at home, online, in a group, with friends, at school, etc. Bullying can be exceedingly hurtful and cause psychological and physical distress. It is reported that 1-4 children experience bullying, so if your child or someone you know is experiencing it, please understand as awful as it is, you’re not alone. Why do people or kids bully others? There are many reasons, and it may be because of jealousy, trying to better themselves, wanting to fit into social groups, liking control over others, having been or being bullied, poorly managed frustration, or not knowing what they’re doing is wrong.
Warning signs your child is experiencing bullying can show up as:
Trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, trouble focusing or concentrating on tasks, low mood, thoughts of self-harm or self-harming, suicidal ideations, prolonged sadness, anger, powerlessness, confusion, feeling unsafe or afraid, or social isolation.
Questions for CFC this week include a few for us (of course) and are also designed to help you start the conversation with your little loves; we will be opening a dialogue around the questions below, sharing our thoughts on the topic and any experiences that may help us navigate bullying in children.
Questions for us Parents and Caregivers:
What’s your understanding of bullying? Have you personally experienced this, or do you know someone who has?
What’s helped put a stop to it? What strategies worked?
Have you any concerns for your child currently? If so, what steps have you taken?
How might you role model anti–bullying behaviour in your home?
When speaking to your children about bullying: (let’s start the conversation) Start with the icebreaker (such as ask about their day – a good thing, challenging thing) and incorporate these questions - daily if possible as a family. Remind yourself if we can be vulnerable and open, it helps our children become more comfortable sharing.
Questions for your child: What was the highlight or low-light of today? Or What was the best part of the day? What was the most challenging part?
A nice approach is to ask for their ‘mango’ (a good thing), ‘lemon’ (a bad thing) and ‘diamond’ (grateful for).
Have you or your friends been consistently excluded/ left out of activities, catch-ups, or group chats/ messages? How might that of felt for them/ you?
Bullying might have changed since I was in school. Could you describe a typical bully?
What do you do when other kids get picked on and pushed around at school?
Do you think you may have bullied someone?
Or calmly and non-judgmentally ask.. I understand there is a situation going on; help me know more about it. Should we be concerned for their safety? Feelings/ thoughts?
What do you think it means or says about someone if they reach out for support in these situations?
Who are the adults you might talk to if you’re being bullied?
What do you think adults or teachers can do to help stop bullying?
Resources: Dolly's Dream is committed to helping break the silence around bullying through education and direct support to young people and families. https://dollysdream.org.au/... Our sense of self and how to treat others starts at home; why not invest your time, not your wallet, in the Triple P parenting course that's FREE! Childhood is made up of many little moments, difficult ones, magic ones, and much more. As parents, we want our little ones to thrive now and into their future. So, let's make the most of the good moments and have the skills to navigate and cope confidently with the challenging ones. https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/.../triple-p-online.../ Bullying isn't a new problem for parents and young people, but the internet has morphed it into something that's more difficult to deal with. The bullying that used to take place in schoolyards is now finding its way into private message inboxes and social media groups. There are many Different Types of Bullying but we'll be going through cyberbullying in this article. https://www.jonnyshannon.com/.../cyberbullying-how-to... Australian Institute of Family Studies. Helping your child stop bullying is a guide for parents. (yes, this is designed for parents of a child doing the bullying, yet it also provides a comprehensive understanding of bullying and what you can do to help either side of the situation). https://aifs.gov.au/.../helping-your-child-stop-bullying... How e Safety can help you deal with cyberbullying. 2-minute clip to see how e Safety can help stop cyberbullying for your child. https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/cyberbullying eSafety young people, this section of the website is specially designed with information to help you stay safe online and explore various scenarios/ topics to find out more. Child user-friendly https://www.esafety.gov.au/young-people Kids Helpline online. A questionnaire for your child to use any time of the day and many valuable resources for parents to help children navigate bullying. https://kidshelpline.com.au/kids/issues/bullying-not-ok What is Kids Helpline? A 2-minute video for 5-7 years olds; share with your little love today!! Available 24/7, hours a day. Someone always to talk to. https://youtu.be/Z3WJwQjqu8A What is the Kids Helpline? Video for 8–12-year-olds 2-minute introduction to Kid Helpline- 24/7 hours a day and week. Someone always to talk to. https://youtu.be/bimSwKjINLM Teenage 12-15 years experiencing bullying and how to help. https://raisingchildren.net.au/.../bullying/teen-bullying The end of bullying begins with me. 20 bullying prevention books for young children. https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=1025 Essential phone numbers to pop in your phone for yourself or child to access Lifeline 13 11 14 Headspace 1800 650 890 Parent Helpline: 1300 364 100 Youth Healthline: 1300 13 17 19 Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 Please Click the link below to join the ZOOM call on Monday night. Topic: CFC Bullying in children Time: Apr 3, 2023 08:00 PM Brisbane Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/3200273364?pwd=c3daTlRuUllqeUxrd0JXVUN5YXhDZz09
Meeting ID: 320 027 3364 Passcode: 760489 Have a lovely day, Rani x
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