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A friend of mine recently posted on Facebook how that her daughter was getting teased about her hair at school, being black in a mostly white school. I commented on her post and thought the response would be useful to some of you out there, especially budding parents:
''My daughter has often complained about being teased and/or bullied. I tell her, first defend yourself. If someone hits you, hit back and hit hard, but never start the fight. If they say nasty things about you just tell them you don't care and walk away and find someone else to play with that doesn't say nasty things. Second, report it to the teacher. Third, tell them Daddy does not take kindly to nonsense and if they continue he will come and sort them out. Above all, I try to tell her that what others think is not so important as what she thinks. She should just know that she is special and doesn't need them to be so. I think having her feel empowered and not a victim is extremely important. I try to make her see that it's no big deal and she can handle it. If we make it seem like a big deal and be over protective I think it does more harm by making them feel helpless. But it's important to check that they are handling it well. That's why I enjoy picking my kids from school and dropping them - gives me a chance to find out what's happening.''
I further added:
''Bullies are cowards...they prey on those they perceive to be weaker than them. When they know you are not weaker they will often leave you alone. So the point is to stand up and show that you are not a walkover. I used that when I was in primary school and it worked.''
I hope that helps on your parenting journey and would be happy to hear your thought on this subject. | 
