How to recognize signs of bullying with your child — and what to do next

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Parents probably don’t need to be convinced that bullying among schoolchildren can have serious consequences, but experts say they should be thinking about how to recognize the signs.

Although kids may tell their parents if they’re being bullied, Robin Koelsch — with the nonprofit organization Communities In Schools of Chicago — said on this week’s “At Issue” program that there are many kids who might not feel comfortable talking about such things.

“As a parent, you know, to your point, I might not be the one that my kid is coming home [and] telling that to,” Koelsch said. “But I know his coach, and I know his counselor, and I know his teachers, and we have developed a relationship, so I have the trust to know that if something is being said, that it will get back to me one way or another.”

Koelsch’s group, among other things, helps put mental health professionals in Chicago schools. She said it’s very important for parents to check in with their community.

“If you are suspicious of something or … just want to get a baseline understanding of how your child or young person behaves in different settings, ask the questions,” she said. “Get involved.”

Once adults recognize that any of their children are being bullied, or in some cases, are bullying others, dealing with it can be complicated.

Things can get emotional, she said, and there can be anger or retaliation.

“We have to do our parts here to model that behavior, as adults in navigating the situations that our young people are also navigating, and trying to be leaders, to be modeling that, [to be] caring and all of those things — it’s a lot,” she said. “I’m not suggesting it’s not. Believe me, I know the struggle. The struggle is real, but we have got to do a better job of modeling that in front of our young people and helping them understand the outcomes of that.”

The people who parents get involved with to identify an issue, Koelsch noted, are often among the ones who can help them address the problem.

Combating bullying is the topic on this weekend’s edition of WBBM’s “At Issue” program, which airs every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.

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