Helping Your Child Approach Anxiety, Bullying, and Identity

When I was a child, bullying took place almost exclusively at school. Nowadays, thanks to technology, bullying can happen anytime, anywhere.

• According to national surveys, bullying affects about 20% of kids aged 12-18.

• Pew Research reports that cyberbullying (name calling, threats, receiving inappropriate images, etc.) is experienced by almost 60% of kids.

• According to Barna, 39% of young people report that bullying has contributed to them feeling uncertain about the future and anxious when making important decisions.

If your son or daughter encounters bullying, here are a few things you can do:

First, take your child seriously when they tell you they’re having a problem. Humiliation may keep them quiet for weeks or even months. When they do come to you, act immediately. Don’t brush their concerns aside.

Second, assume the problem is worse than it sounds. Harassment can be embarrassing, and admitting to it may take every ounce of courage your child has. Younger children may not have the vocabulary to fully explain what’s happening to them.

Finally, take action! Talk to teachers, school administrators, family members, and other parents. Visit with a counselor, so your child can work through lingering feelings of distress or fear.Provide your child all the resources he or she needs to feel safe.

To help you and your child navigate the challenges of bullying, I’ve invited Caroline Shankle and her mother, Melanie, to join me on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly.

Caroline faced intense bullying on school grounds and over social media throughout her teen years, including a group of girls who routinely followed Caroline into the bathroom and urged her to kill herself. When Melanie reached out to the girls’ moms, she was met with apathy and told the behavior was “just girls being girls.”

Caroline and Melanie share how they overcame these difficult trials and found hope in their relationship with Jesus. Hear our full conversation on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, or on our free phone app.

Before you go, I’d like to extend an invitation for you to become a special partner with us through our monthly “Friends of Focus on the Family” program. When you do, I’ll send you a copy of Caroline Shankle’s book The Lion and the Bear: 100-Day Guide for Facing Your Giants as a way of saying thank you for touching others with the love of Christ. You’ll also receive member-exclusive benefits. To make your pledge, or for more information, click here or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).