7 Bullying resources for parents

The first bullying resource for parents is their child’s school. Whether your child is a victim of bullying or is the bully himself (or you are just concerned about intimidation at the school), you should reach out to your school’s teachers, counselor and principal for help. If you don’t get satisfactory results or assistance, don’t hesitate to go up the chain of command to the superintendent and ultimately the state department of education.

The government website StopBullying.gov can be a helpful resource to learn about bullying policies and laws. Forty-nine states have passed anti-bullying laws. The website also includes tips on preventing bullying, responding to bullying and talking about bullying.

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Based on a nationwide survey of more than 2,000 students and their teachers, No Kidding About Bullying: 125 Ready-to-Use Activities to Help Kids Manage Anger, Resolve Conflicts, Build Empathy, and Get Along (Amazon, $27) provides educators, parents and youth leaders with a wide assortment of activities that can be used to help children resolve their conflicts without resorting to anger or violence. Geared toward grades three to six, this book and CD-ROM features games, role plays, group discussions, art projects and language arts exercises. The lessons affirm the importance of respect and kind actions.

This international best-seller is a favorite among parents and teachers. The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander: From Preschool to High School — How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle of Violence (Barnes & Noble, $13) talks about topics from conflict resolution to the three kinds of bullying. This practical, compassionate book is aimed at helping the triad of bullying — the bully, the bullied and the bystander.

Read about bullying in schools >>

MetLife Defender is your number one tool to keep your kids safe on the computer. Once you’re a member, it continuously scans, analyzes and eliminates threats to your computer and personal information, but it doesn’t stop there. MetLife Defender combines easy to use patented social media applications with ongoing scans of file sharing networks to detect potential cyberbullying activities.

This DVD about bullying is essential for your little ones. Perfect for parents to watch with children ages 4 and up, Stand Up to Bullying (Amazon, $13) features Lucky Kat and Daren the Lion to address the topic of bullying. It talks about the different types of bullying and teaches children the best ways to respond.