Bullying Stories in Preschool or Kindergarten

Many preschoolers and kindergartners face the harsh treatment of bullies, despite the fact that such bullying behavior exists in preschool and kindergarten is a bit surprising to many parents. Because bullying has the potential to become an issue in any social situation, parents should prepare their kids for dealing with bullies and cruel treatment when they first enter school.

Real-Life Approach to Bullies

Sure, telling your kids not to give in to a bully's demands may be easy, but dealing with bullies can be just as difficult for parents as it is for the children. By taking a mature yet stern approach, parents can resolve the issue of bullying for their young children. How to go about fixing this problem may seem a bit difficult to ascertain, and of course the best approach will vary depending upon the specific situation.

The following points illustrate how bullying can manifest itself, what parents can do to stop it, and what parents of bullies can do to ensure it doesn't happen again:

• Young bullies often target kids in their preschool classes that are isolated from the rest of the group. Take, for example, this story: Mary is a bit intimidated by the classroom environment. Not used to so much commotion, she tends to keep to herself. Julie, one of her classmates, starts teasing Mary about having no friends. Eventually, this treatment escalates and Julie begins stealing Mary's snacks and taking her toys.
• In this situation, Mary's parents should contact the teacher and Julie's parents to ensure that all authoritative figures are aware of the situation. Then, Mary's parents should help their daughter adjust to the busy classroom environment so that she feels secure enough to participate in class.
• Julie's parents, once apprised of the problem, should immediately ask Julie why she treats Mary so badly. The behavioral expectations of the classroom should be presented and consistently enforced so that Julie doesn't continue to bully her classmates.

Coping with Bullies Requires a Strong Foundation

During these early years, kids are trying to find their way in a new environment-- one that can be both exciting and overwhelming. Allow kids the freedom to determine where they stand with their classmates, but never allow them to treat others in an unkind or cruel manner. By enforcing appropriate behaviors from an early age, your children will have a great foundation upon which to build their social identity.