In France, approximately 700,000 pupils are affected by bullying at school. However, few adults (parents and teaching staff alike) are able to detect the distress of a child who is being bullied at school. Here are some tell-tale signs of a problem to look out for.
Your child no longer wants to go to school
Do you think he's putting on an act to get out of school? Try to understand what's driving him to want to avoid school before jumping to conclusions. Bullying can trigger a real school phobia in children. bullied children. They may also suddenly ask you to take them to school and not take the school bus anymore, or to walk them to the school gates. Finally, their school results may plummet, but this sign tends to alert parents more to a problem at school.
Your child is isolated
Birthday invitations are rare, if not non-existent, you don't know any of his friends, he doesn't have any classmates' contact details if he misses class... If your child is being bullied at school, there is a good chance that he will isolate himself. He will prefer to play alone, keep to himself, or hide in the toilets at lunchtime. In short, they will seek refuge to avoid possible bullying. A bullied child will also tend to seek out the company of adults more readily. This bullying can also manifest itself in a sudden loss of appetite or a breakdown in communication with you. You may think that this is just a phase of adolescence, even if it is early, but if they constantly shut themselves in their room and remain silent, try to find out more.
Your child is experiencing sleep problems and becoming irritable.
When bullied, a child may become hypervigilant: they are constantly on the lookout to make sure that no one is going to attack them. This requires a lot of energy, which tends to tire them out. They may therefore experience concentration problems, sleep disorders or mood swings.
Your child is shy and does not want to rock the boat.
In order to avoid being a potential target, a bullied child will do everything possible to blend in with the crowd and, above all, not stand out. The posture of a bullied child says a lot: head tucked into their shoulders, quick gait... In addition, they will tend to choose unremarkable outfits, without any eccentricity, so as not to attract attention. In class, teachers will notice that they never speak.
Your child's equipment is damaged
At first, you will reprimand him for breaking his ruler again or losing his brand new pens. But if his belongings are often lost or vandalised, this could be a sign of bullying or bad jokes from his classmates. Similarly, if you notice bruises, even if he keeps telling you that he fell by accident, remain vigilant.
