For Parents of children who are bullied

Having a child who is bullied can be very difficult for a parent.

Your heart aches as you send them off to school. Will they be all right today? Will someone beat them up or abuse them? How will they feel when they come home and if something has happened, will they tell you?

That sick feeling sits in your stomach all day.

It is very important for you to look after yourself. If you are really going to be a help to your child, you need to be happy and confident in your own right.

So how do you do this? The best advice that we can give you is to have someone to confide in. This person does not have to be able to offer you any advice, they just have to be able to listen. Ideally, this person would be someone from outside the family. You need to be able to drop in, or phone them, tell them your concerns, then, if possible, change the subject so you can end the conversation on a positive note.

Do you know another parent whose child is being bullied? Befriend them or arrange to meeting at least once a month. Knowing that you are not alone is really helpful. You can discuss strategies or simply listen to each other's stories.

If you do these regularly, the sick feeling in your stomach should lessen and your positive outlook will help to your child.

Share the troubles and you will halve them.

Wendy Nichols and Robyn Collins