Bullying Prevention Activities Parents and Children Can Do Together
Summer
is a great opportunity for parents to participate in activities with
their children that can help them to develop empathy, respect for
others and positive problem-solving skills, including the following:
- Perform
community service – Participating in community service with your
children can help them to better understand people of different
backgrounds, abilities, ethnicities, ages, educations and income levels.
Consider having your children volunteer with an organization that
focuses on servicing certain groups that are commonly misunderstood or
harassed by others.
- Watch films that discourage prejudice –
Watching films with your children on the harmful effects of racism,
homophobia, sexism and other forms of prejudice throughout history can
help your children develop empathy and discourage them from bullying
others. Watching these films may help children who have been bullied to
identify with other groups that have been mistreated. Many films that
address these issues can be found at the public library.
- Read
books or other literature that discourage prejudice – Similar to
watching films that address the prejudice many groups have faced,
reading books on this topic can help your children develop empathy and
discourage them from bullying others. Books that deal with prejudice
should be available at school and public libraries.
- Visit
museums and attend educational events on social issues – Taking your
children to museums or educational events with exhibits that focus on
social issues, such as poverty, civil rights and prejudice, can help
your children to better understand the lives and struggles of others.
Many local community organizations, governments and public universities
also regularly hold panels, workshops and other events on past and
current social issues that are open to the public.
- Keep your
family up-to-date on current events – Watching the news, reading the
newspaper and engaging in other activities that help your children stay
up-to-date on current events can have many benefits. Talking about the
events and discussing the behavior seen can help to teach the behavior
you want to see from your children.