Tips for Dealing with Bullies: A Guide for Parents, Educators, and Students

Bullying is a widespread issue that affects individuals of all ages, from schools and social gatherings to online communities. Its emotional and psychological impact can be significant and long-lasting, and often shapes how individuals see themselves and interact with the world around them.

To effectively address bullying, it’s important for parents, educators, and students to recognize the signs, understand why it happens, and take steps to stop it. Without intervention, bullying can escalate and leave those affected to deal with the consequences for years.

This guide provides practical advice and tips for managing bullying situations—whether you’re experiencing it, witnessing it, or working to make your community a safer place. By responding with awareness and action, we can reduce the harm caused by bullying and support those who need it most.

For additional help, download our bully prevention resources or join our online bully prevention course.

Understand What Bullying Is

The first step in addressing bullying is understanding what it is and how it shows up.

Bullying is not a one-time conflict or disagreement. It is a deliberate, repeated act intended to cause physical, emotional, or psychological harm. It thrives on power imbalances where the person bullying seeks to control or intimidate someone they perceive as vulnerable.

Bullying can take various forms, each with distinct methods of harm:

Physical Bullying

Physical bullying is perhaps the most easily recognized form which involves actions such as hitting, pushing, tripping, or damaging someone’s property. While the physical harm is visible, the psychological toll it takes—such as creating fear and anxiety—is equally significant.

Verbal Bullying

Verbal bullying involves using words to demean or hurt. It can include name-calling, persistent teasing, insulting comments, or inappropriate remarks about someone’s appearance, background, or abilities. The impact of verbal bullying is often underestimated, yet its emotional effects can be long-lasting and deeply damaging.

Relational Bullying

Relational bullying, sometimes referred to as social bullying, is more insidious. It involves efforts to damage someone’s social connections and reputation, often through exclusion, gossip, or manipulation. This form of bullying can be particularly harmful as it isolates the individual and undermines their sense of belonging.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying extends bullying into the digital world. It includes using social media platforms, messaging apps, or email to spread hurtful messages, post offensive content, or impersonate someone to humiliate them. Cyberbullying can feel relentless because it follows children beyond the schoolyard and invades their personal lives at any time of day.

Join our online Bullying Prevention course for weekly lessons with practical tips to help you recognize, prevent, and address bullying effectively.

Recognizing these behaviors is essential for anyone who interacts with children or teens—whether as parents, educators, or peers. Spotting bullying early allows for timely intervention which can prevent the situation from escalating and help those affected feel supported and protected.

Awareness of the different ways bullying presents itself is the foundation for taking meaningful action. Understanding that bullying is not limited to overt acts of aggression but often operates in subtle, persistent ways equips children to respond appropriately.

The Importance of Open Communication in Bullying Prevention

Creating an environment where open communication is encouraged helps children feel safe to share their experiences with bullying which makes timely intervention more likely and prevents further harm.

• For Parents: Regularly check in with your child about school, friends, and online activities. Use open-ended questions, listen without judgment, and show empathy to build trust so they feel comfortable coming to you for help.
• For Educators: Address bullying consistently through year-round discussions, role-playing, and anonymous reporting systems to ensure students feel supported to speak up without fear of retaliation.

When children know they can talk openly about bullying, they are less likely to suffer in silence which makes it easier for adults to intervene. Open dialogue—at home and in school—builds trust, strengthens communities, and helps prevent bullying.

Teach Empathy and Emotional Intelligence to Prevent Bullying

One of the most effective bullying prevention strategies is teaching empathy and emotional intelligence. These skills help children understand others’ emotions, manage their own feelings, and build healthier relationships. When young people recognize how their actions impact others, they are less likely to bully and more likely to intervene when they see harm.

Empathy goes beyond recognizing emotions—it involves understanding why someone feels a certain way and responding appropriately. Emotional intelligence includes self-awareness, self-regulation, and social awareness and helps children handle conflicts peacefully and resist peer pressure.

• In Schools: Incorporate bully prevention education into social-emotional learning (SEL) programs through lessons, role-playing, and teamwork activities. Teaching students to reflect on their words and actions promotes accountability and kindness.
• At Home: Parents can model empathy by discussing emotions openly, actively listening to their child’s concerns, and role-playing social situations. Everyday acts of kindness—like helping a neighbor or expressing gratitude—also show children how empathy can be practiced in daily life.

By integrating empathy into daily interactions, both at school and home, we help children build stronger social connections and reduce bullying behaviors before they start.

Want to teach your child empathy and emotional intelligence? Download our guide to respect for activities that you can start today.

Teach Assertiveness, Not Aggression, for Dealing with Bullies

Teaching children to be assertive helps them set boundaries, express their feelings confidently, and handle bullying situations with dignity—without resorting to aggression. Assertiveness is about self-respect and mutual respect, while aggression seeks to harm or dominate.

Encouraging children to fight back can escalate conflict, but assertiveness de-escalates situations and reinforces healthy boundaries.

Why Assertiveness Matters

Bullied children often feel powerless which can erode their confidence. Assertiveness empowers them to protect themselves calmly while also reducing vulnerability and helping them navigate social challenges more effectively.

How to Teach Assertiveness

• Role-Playing: Practice responses to bullying scenarios, such as saying, “I don’t like what you’re saying. Please stop.” Encourage a calm tone, eye contact, and upright posture.
• Confident Body Language: Teach children to stand tall, maintain eye contact, and speak calmly to convey confidence.
• Avoid Aggression: Emphasize that assertiveness isn’t about using violence but calmly setting boundaries and seeking help if needed.

Regular practice reinforces assertiveness and helps children handle difficult situations with confidence and build healthier relationships.

Encourage Bystander Intervention for Bully Prevention

Bystanders—the individuals who witness bullying—hold significant power in either stopping or perpetuating harmful behavior. While some bystanders remain passive out of fear or uncertainty, empowering them to safely intervene can dramatically reduce bullying. Research shows that when bystanders step in, bullying often stops within seconds.

Children and teens must understand that their silence can be interpreted as approval, while their actions—no matter how small—can make a meaningful difference in preventing or stopping bullying. Educators and parents play a key role in teaching bystanders how to respond effectively and safely.

For tips on empowering bystanders, download our curriculum.

How Bystanders Can Make a Difference

1. Directly Intervene (When Safe): If it’s safe, bystanders can calmly address the bully or offer support to the victim. Simple actions like saying, “That’s not okay. Stop,” or sitting with the victim can disrupt the bully’s power. However, children should never put themselves in harm’s way.
2. Seek Help from an Adult: Encourage bystanders to report bullying to a trusted adult. Make it clear that reporting is responsible, not “tattling.” Schools can provide anonymous reporting systems and reinforce that students will be supported when they seek help.
3. Create Positive Environments: Small acts, like inviting someone to sit with them or standing up for a peer, can make a big difference over time. Educators and parents should recognize and reinforce these behaviors.

Talking to Children About Bystander Intervention

Conversations with children should focus on realistic, actionable strategies for intervention. Discuss real-life scenarios and explore options for responding. Reassure children that seeking help is responsible, not weak, and help them recognize that their actions—no matter how small—can change the social dynamic.

Empower children with tools and strategies that fit their comfort level. Not every child will feel comfortable confronting a bully, but every child can take steps to reduce bullying.

Teach Problem-Solving Skills to Handle Bullying

Problem-solving strategies help children navigate bullying situations with confidence. When children can evaluate their options, assess risks, and make decisions to protect themselves, they feel more in control and less helpless.

Practical Ways to Build Problem-Solving Skills:

• Brainstorm Responses: Discuss ways to handle bullying, such as ignoring the bully, responding assertively, or seeking help from an adult. Encourage children to choose the safest, most effective option for each situation.
• Practice Escalation Plans: Teach children when to involve a trusted adult, especially if bullying continues, they feel unsafe, or physical harm is involved. Reassure them that seeking help shows strength.
• Stay Calm and Think Critically: Help children manage emotions by taking deep breaths, counting to ten, and reminding themselves they control their actions.
• Build Confidence Through Practice: Role-playing scenarios prepares children for real-life situations. Ask questions like, “How would you handle a hurtful comment online?” and reinforce that trying different approaches is part of learning.

Problem-solving skills reduce emotional harm, build resilience, and empower children to take proactive steps in difficult situations.

Prevent Cyberbullying by Setting Technology Boundaries

Cyberbullying—harassment through phones, computers, and social media—has become relentless, and often follows children into their personal spaces. To protect children from online harm, families and schools must set boundaries that promote safe online behavior and responsible digital use.

At Home

Parents play an important role in preventing cyberbullying by:

• Setting Screen Time Limits: Balance online and offline activities by creating device-free times, such as during meals and before bed.
• Discussing Online Behavior: Teach children that online actions have real-world consequences. Encourage them to think before posting or sharing personal information.
• Adjusting Privacy Settings: Help children limit interactions with strangers and regularly check in about their online experiences to build trust.

At School

Schools should address cyberbullying by:

• Creating Anti-Cyberbullying Policies: Define cyberbullying, outline consequences, and ensure clear reporting processes.
• Providing Education Programs: Teach students responsible online behavior and the impact of cyberbullying.
• Encouraging Reporting: Offer safe, anonymous ways for students to report incidents and remind them that seeking help is responsible, not “tattling.”

Build Digital Resilience

Teach children to block harmful content, avoid toxic interactions, and take breaks from social media to protect their well-being. Empowering children with these skills helps them navigate the digital world confidently and safely.

Build Confidence and Self-Esteem to Prevent Bullying

Children with a strong sense of self-worth are less likely to become targets of bullying. Confidence helps them recognize their value, set boundaries, and seek help without shame or fear.

When children develop self-esteem, they are more resilient in the face of negative behavior and better equipped to handle challenges with dignity.

How to Build Confidence

• Encourage Interests: Support children in pursuing hobbies like sports, music, or art to boost self-worth and reduce isolation.
• Provide Positive Reinforcement: Praise efforts and character by focusing on perseverance and kindness.
• Model Confidence: Show children how to handle criticism constructively and replace self-deprecating comments with affirmations.

Why Confidence Matters

Confident children are more likely to recognize bullying isn’t their fault, respond assertively, and seek help. Building self-esteem helps children to navigate social challenges with strength and self-respect.

Building Self-Respect to Prevent Bullying

Self-respect is essential in preventing bullying. Bullies often target children who seem unsure of themselves, but when children develop self-respect, they can assert boundaries confidently and handle social challenges with resilience.

Why Self-Respect Matters

Self-respect empowers children to:

• Assert boundaries without aggression.
• Reject harmful narratives from bullies.
• Seek help when needed.

Without self-respect, children may feel powerless. Building inner strength helps them navigate bullying situations with confidence and clarity.

How to Build Self-Respect

• Use Dialogue: Encourage children to reflect on their emotions and relationships by asking questions like, “How do you feel when someone treats you unkindly?”
• Model Respectful Communication: Demonstrate how to express feelings calmly and assertively. Show children that conflicts can be resolved without aggression.
• Practice Role-Playing: Teach children to stand tall, maintain eye contact, and use a calm tone of voice. These exercises help build emotional resilience and reinforce self-respect.

Engage the School Community

Schools are critical environments for shaping how bullying is addressed and prevented. Children spend a significant portion of their day in school which makes it one of the most important places for guiding social interactions and encouraging respectful behavior.

As a parent or educator, collaborating with the school to implement effective bully prevention strategies can make a lasting impact. Schools that prioritize bullying prevention send a clear message that mistreatment will not be tolerated and that all students deserve to feel safe and respected.

Ready to take action in your school community? Bring our curricula to your school administration and advocate it be implemented school-wide.

How Educators Can Prevent Bullying

Educators have a unique opportunity to shape school culture and reduce bullying. Implementing proactive bullying prevention initiatives helps students develop the emotional intelligence and social skills needed to build positive relationships and handle conflicts effectively.

Here are key ways educators can implement school-wide bullying prevention programs:

• Peer Mediation Programs: Equip students with the skills to resolve conflicts peacefully, which helps reduce bullying incidents and encourages empathy among peers.
• Student-Led Bullying Prevention Clubs: Give students a platform to take ownership of bullying prevention efforts by promoting inclusion, advocating for respect, and raising awareness.
• Regular Classroom Lessons: Make kindness, empathy, and respectful communication a consistent part of learning by integrating these values into discussions and activities throughout the school year.

Seek Professional Help if Bullying Persists

If bullying continues despite your best efforts, reaching out for professional help can make a big difference in protecting a child’s emotional well-being. Therapy and school support services give children the tools to handle tough situations, build confidence, and manage their emotions.

• Therapy: A therapist can help kids work through feelings like anxiety, fear, or sadness and give them practical ways to cope. Family therapy can also help by creating a stronger support system at home and showing everyone how to work through challenges together.
• School Counselors: Many schools have counselors or social workers who offer a safe space to talk and teach problem-solving skills. They also work with teachers to make sure bullying is addressed. Parents can reach out to these resources for extra support when needed.

Getting help doesn’t mean something is wrong—it’s a smart way to make sure children have what they need to feel stronger and more confident. Seeking support teaches them that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Modelling Positive Behavior is Key to Bullying Prevention

Children learn by example. When adults model respectful communication and positive ways to solve conflicts, kids are more likely to follow those behaviors—and less likely to engage in bullying.

At Home: How Parents Can Help

Show your child how to handle conflicts with respect and empathy. Instead of yelling or using hurtful words, talk through disagreements calmly. Listen to your child’s concerns without judgment and encourage them to think about how their actions affect others. By demonstrating empathy and respect in your own interactions, you’re teaching them to do the same.

In the Classroom: How Educators Can Help

Encourage kindness and inclusion through discussions and group activities that highlight empathy. When bullying happens, address it quickly and calmly by focusing on behavior and its impact, rather than shaming the student. Recognizing positive behavior also goes a long way in showing students that kindness matters.

Why It Matters

When adults model empathy, assertiveness, and respectful conflict resolution, children learn essential social skills that help prevent bullying. Positive behavior becomes the norm which creates a safer, more supportive environment for everyone.

Conclusion: Practical Steps for Bullying Prevention

Bully prevention requires ongoing effort from parents, educators, and communities to help children build the skills they need to navigate social challenges. Through thoughtful conversations, positive role modeling, and teaching children to assert themselves respectfully, we can reduce the impact of bullying and create safer spaces for children to grow.

Bullying tips and strategies are most effective when applied consistently and with empathy. By helping children develop self-respect, emotional resilience, and the confidence to seek help when needed, we empower them to handle difficult situations and build healthier relationships.

Preventing bullying isn’t about perfection—it’s about creating an environment where kindness, respect, and safety are prioritized in everyday interactions. With the right tools, we can all contribute to ending bullying.