My daughter is being bullied and I need advice

[CindyW]

Hi, my name is Cindy and my daughter is getting bullied in school. I am not sure what I should do to help her. It breaks my heart to see her come home crying and telling me that she has no friends and that she feels ugly because of the names the other kids shout at her. She is very thin and wears glasses. I have explained to her that she will one day grow into her body and be beautiful and that being a teenager can be awkward at times. I ask her to please keep her chin up and try to ignore them. She told me it is just too hard and she hates her life. She dreads school everyday and I want to let her stay home because I don't want those kids to hurt her but I know she must go.

What can I do to help her? Should I home school her? Should I try to help her make friends? Should I talk to the school or will that make things worse for her?

[BigBuck]

Cindy,
I wouldn't take her out of school unless the bullying has turned physical and you are worried for her safety. Going to the school would probably make the situation worse because it is only verbal teasing at this point and if the other students see her getting special treatment it might get worse. Maybe encouraging her to join an after school club or a sports team. This will keep her involved with the other kids and give her a sense of belonging. Im not sure what her hobbies or interests are but giving her a little nudge in the right direction I think would be the best method at this point. As a parent you want to shield your child from any harm whenever you can but this can be very good for her character if you help her through this time. Your bond as a parent and child will grow if you show her new ways of making friends but remember to try to relate to her needs. Remember not to tell her it is easy because to her it might be more difficult but use words like "I know you have it in you" and "I can see a strong person inside of you" this will give her confidence that she can be better with a little more effort.

[CindyW]

Thank you for your advice! I think I will talk to her about what after school programs she would like today.

[silos]

Make sure that you stay involved with her life too so she doesnt hide getting bullied from you.I would let her know that no matter how long it takes you will solve her problem. Also if she is being teased for her glasses maybe check into contacts for her because I think they are affordable now. I hope you two figure it out!

[Tollydae]

How old is your daughter Cindy?

[Angel777]

Is your daughter in junior high or high school?

[GHK22]

My only advice to you is that you should do anything that you feel is going to protect your daughter and forget about how anyone else feels about you because your child is your number one priority

[CrazyLove]

Tollydae wrote :
> How old is your daughter Cindy?

I would like to know her age as well so we can determine the best approach before giving advice.

[partly]

Make an appointment with the principal and your daughters teacher and explain to them that you would like some extra attention for a short period of time to make sure that your daughter has a fair chance at getting an education and not in fear of bullies. Make sure you stay calm and dont make demands just explain how she has been coming home crying and now you have to do something because you cannot see it happening anymore.

[dangles]

Help her make friends by allowing her to join some after school clubs or maybe even a sports team in your community so she has something seperate from her life at school.