Q: What do I do if my child is a bully?

Bullying is such an important subject to discuss with your children. Being proactive and talking to them about how to treat others is certainly important but even parents with the best intentions will sometimes find that their child has bullied another child. Here is what you should do if that happens.
 
Assess the situation
While it’s tempting to get angry, you must first allow your child to explain in their own words what happened. You want your child to be accountable for their role in the bullying. If they keep blaming others, firmly tell them you want to know what their own behavior was.
 
Ask them to see it from the bullied child’s point-of-view
Your child will hopefully feel instant and great remorse when they think of how they would feel if they were the one bullied in this incident. Use this as a teachable moment.
 
Have your child make amends
Your child should then reach out to the child he or she bullied and apologize. This might be better received with a teacher or school official present to make sure both parties are satisfied.
 
Find out what caused this
Your child isn’t a bad person just because they acted out, and you’re not a failure. We all make poor decisions from time to time. This is the time to step in and find out why it occurred so you can help your child avoid this situation in the future. Once you identify the root cause, you can help your child find better methods to achieve the results they want.
 
Be active with the school and as a role model
Stay informed with your child’s school and make sure that you set a good example at home. Our own behavior is something children emulate so make sure yours is exemplary!