Distracters: Kids who can recognize when a mean moment is coming and distract participants away from it. It’s a skill that adults eventually learn themselves, but if kids are given instruction on how to do this it can be learnt more quickly.
Supporters: Kids who are taught to do something as small as make eye contact with a victim while aggression is happening. That shows the victim that the behavior is seen and acknowledged. It makes the victim seen and acknowledged. They aren’t alone.
Finally, Stade also asks that parents never excuse their child’s or their child’s peers bad behavior as “that’s just girls” or “boys will be boys.” The truth is there is NO excuse for kids who are being mean or abusive to other children, and as parents we need to realize that out kids ARE capable of bad behavior, and be willing to punish them and do what it takes to stop it.
Many thanks to Stade for sharing these tips with parents…if you’d like to keep up with her (she has a new ebook coming out about “Friends and Frenemies”) please give her a follow on her Facebook page.
