How to approach child who is bullied about being gay

If you are a parent, caregiver, or teacher who is trying to help an LGBTQ+ child dealing with bullying at home or at school, there are several things you can do. Support the child. Validate your child's feelings. Let them know that it’s okay to talk to a trusted adult when they are being bullied. If a parent is very distressed about a child being LGBTQ+, Dr. Mitrani urges them not to express those feelings to the child.

Talking about it with a support group like PFLAG, someone in your church or congregation, or a therapist could be helpful for you and your child, too. Parents and carers can play an important role in tackling homophobic bullying and some ways you can help is by: Talk to your child. Ask how they are feeling and if everything is OK at school, rather than if they are being bullied. They may be embarrassed and worried that you will think they are gay, so might choose not to say anything.

Supporting your LGBTQIA+ child starts with understanding. Learn how to navigate conversations, offer affirming support & protect their well-being.

How Can I Help My Child Deal With Bullying At School?

Schools have a legal duty to prevent and challenge homophobic bullying and to ensure the wellbeing of all young people. Schools are not allowed discriminate against pupils because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) – or because their parents are LGBT. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

You have been threatened or physically harassed by others on a regular basis. Orchinik, PhD. Online Chat. Emphasize acceptance. Join your school's bullying or violence prevention programs. In recent years increasing attention has been paid to the epidemic of bullying in schools and to creating programs that can help schools address this important problem. Some bullies don't understand normal social emotions like guilt, empathy, compassion, or remorse.

People might feel intimidated by bullies, but they don't respect them. What helps kids when they are questioning? But more importantly, I tell parents to get the school involved. Explore Popular Topics. Writer: Juliann Garey. Try thinking of how the person being bullied feels. Subscribe to Our Newsletters. Ignore the bully and walk away. There are serious ramifications for families. And questioning kids do best when they have the support of their families.

It is also important for each school to find out how students perceive the problem of bullying in their school, how often they experience bullying either as a target, witness or instigator and what types of bullying they see at school. Juliann Garey is a journalist and novelist and educator. Peer mediation is another way you may be able to work things out with a bully.

Dealing With Bullying (for Teens) | Nemours KidsHealth

These are signs of mental health challenges that may or may not be related to gender or sexual identity. Enter email to download and get news and resources in your inbox. But sorting out these feelings and thoughts can be confusing — for kids and their families. Mental Health.

In addition, here are some more links to websites with helpful information for parents, both in general and specific to the NYC public schools. Rules about what constitutes bullying as well as ways to be kind to fellow students can be posted in hallways and other public spaces in the school so that all students are aware that this is something to be taken seriously at school.

But bullying behavior backfires and makes everyone feel miserable — even the bullies. It's vital to report bullying if it threatens to lead to physical danger and harm. If your child comes to you with questions or concerns about their gender identity or sexual orientation, the most important thing is to listen and let them know that you love them and support them no matter what.