Teasing Vs bullying: Help your child understand the difference (and red flags to watch out)

Poking and making fun of each other, often called teasing, is normal among kids and teenagers. It is commonly directed to one person or group. But there is a thin line between teasing and bullying, which sometimes kids fail to recognise. While teasing is a way to get close to the other person, bullying can have a grave emotional and mental impact on the person it is directed to. The first step to preventing bullying is to understand how it is different from teasing.

Teasing is making fun of one another playfully and gently without hurting each other's feelings. It is mostly enjoyed by the one the comments or actions are directed towards like calling each other funny names or pulling funny pranks. Bullying on the other hand is intended to belittle the person being teased and is not enjoyed by all. It can go even to the extent of physical violence and aggression. Mostly things start with teasing, but then it steps to a point of becoming derogatory, causing emotional and physical pain to the other person like calling other people cruel names or coercing them to do demeaning things.

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Kids, particularly the small ones often fear to confess about these issues to their parents and continue to suffer in silence. It can be because they feel humiliated or are threatened. As parents, it is your responsibility to look for the signs of bullying and take appropriate actions to prevent it.

Unexplained cuts or bruises: Bullying can even lead to physical abuse. If you see any cuts or bruises on kids' bodies, which they cannot explain, try to talk to them, they may be hiding something. Freqent change in mood can also be due to bullying.

Few friends: Few friends are also a telltale sign of bullying. Kids who are bullied find it hard to interact with others.

Your child doesn’t want to go to school: If your kids usually make excuses to miss the school or dance classes or take the school buses, try to find the reason behind it. It might have a deeper meaning.

They lie or steal money: Frequent lying or stealing money or anything can also be due to bullying. They might be trying to steal to pay the person bullying.

Drop-in grades: Bullying can impact their mental health, which can impact their academic performance.

If you notice any of these signs, first talk to your kids. Try to understand who is bothering them and what they say to them. You can even note down the details of events. Once you have collected all the evidence, meet the authorities where the events like school or dance classes. If it happened in the playground, you can directly approach the parents of the other kids and confront them. Try to be calm in your approach and handle the situation wisely.