9 Signs Your Child is Being Bullied

Over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each year and almost 43 percent of kids have been bullied online, according to DoSomething.org. Victims of bullying at any age are more likely to experience depression and anxiety; in fact, bullying victims are 2 to 9 times more likely to consider committing suicide.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month and it’s more important than ever to raise awareness of the horrible epidemic of bullying and cyberbullying. Although not every person shows signs of being bullied, many do. If any of the signs below are observed in your children, don’t ignore them.

• Unexplainable injuries
• Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
• Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
• Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch
• Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
• Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
• Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
• Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem
• Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide
  Source: StopBullying.gov

If you suspect your child is being bullied, it’s important to support them. Don’t tell them
to ignore it or fight back and don’t contact the bully’s parents, as that may make the
situation worse. Instead, here are some tips from StopBullying.gov to help you.