As much as we want to believe that our child is comfortable and fits in with their peers, it might not be the case.

The exact numbers vary, but research from clinical mental health counseling professionals suggests that anywhere from 10-50% of youth are bullied in some form. That may seem like a big gap, but the population, location, and type of study will impact the prevalence of bullying.

As a parent, this can make you feel helpless. There’s not much you can do to control the actions of other children, but you can prepare your child.

Awareness regarding bullying is essential. Your child has to know that it’s okay to ask for help and to find a teacher or other adult in charge from people they know in Elgin. This guide will help you understand the different types of bullying and how they may affect your child.

Types of Bullying 

Bullying is considered an adverse childhood experience. The type of bullying your child may experience depends on a variety of factors. Regardless of the type of bullying, there are multiple negative outcomes your child might experience as a result.

Your child’s age will impact the type of bullying they’re vulnerable to. Bullying in elementary schools is going to look very different than bullying in high schools. If you homeschool your child, they’ll be more likely to experience bullying through the internet versus physical assaults.

It’s important to realize that your child may encounter multiple types of bullying at once as well.

You can try to figure out if your child experiences bullying by observing their habits and behaviors. Keep an eye on your child before school and how they socialize in Elgin. If they’re extra nervous or suddenly sick before school, you might want to investigate further.

Physical Bullying

Physical bullying involves hitting, shoving, pushing, kicking, and any other type of unwanted forceful physical contact. It includes incidences when bullies ruin someone’s belongings.

Physical bullying will be the easiest one to look out for. Injuries are obvious signs of bullying, but there are some more discreet signs that you can look out for.

Cyberbullying 

Cyberbullying has become the most prevalent form of bullying.

Cyberbullying involves the bullying of an individual via social media, texts, email, or other forms of communication. This means that the bullying extends beyond the walls of the school; your child is vulnerable even at your Elgin home.

Verbal Bullying 

This type of bullying involves teasing, insults, name-calling, etc. Verbal bullying can happen in person or via cyberbullying.

Children tend to hide verbal bullying, so this is a hard one to look out for. Open communication with your child can help.

Prejudicial Bullying 

Bullying based on race, sex, religion, ethnicity, and other demographic information is considered prejudicial bullying. Those who are minorities are often the ones that are isolated and experience this type of bullying.

Social Bullying

Social bullying occurs when people purposefully exclude and isolate someone. People may brush it off as high school gossip or rumors, but social bullying is a legitimate and damaging form of bullying.

We Can Help Your Child in Elgin

If you’re not sure how to talk to your child about bullying, we can help. Braden Counseling Center is a trusted Illinois mental health facility that offers a wide variety of counseling services. A mental health professional can educate you on the different positive ways to discuss and handle instances of bullying.

Counseling can be beneficial whether you suspect your child is being bullied or you just want to create an open dialogue about the types of bullying.

When you’re ready, contact Braden Counseling Center in the Elgin area to learn more about our counseling services and ways that you can support your family.