“My Voice Is Not Going to Be Silent”: What Can Parents Do About Children’s Bullying?

Abstract

The child development literature gives a resounding affirmation that parents matter in instances when a child is bullying others or being victimized. However, not all actions taken by parents are effective, and at the same time, some parents may elect to respond to children's bullying with inaction. We briefly present advice and information for parents as to the importance of their involvement, and seek to identify the ways of getting involved that might be most helpful. Aspects of the theoretical and empirical literature concerning parental responses to bullying are reviewed. A summary is then given of some common recommendations for parents made by current online resources. Next, we describe legal issues that are important for parents to know, and end by highlighting some specific areas where more research is needed.