I’ve heard from a fellow mom before that parenting doesn’t get easier, it just gets to a different level of hard. One day you’re struggling with sleepless nights, multiple feedings and diaper changes, and then the next thing you know you’ve already gotten enough rest but then you’re in the throes of potty training. And then once you’ve hurdled over that, there’s the next challenge waiting.

One challenge I am most fearful of encountering is bullying. And the fear I have of my feisty child being the bully rather than being the one bullied is unmatched. So much so that when another school parent told the class adviser on the group chat about a private message, my mind immediately went, “Oh no, did my kid cause any trouble?”

My daughter didn’t really do anything and it was just my anxiety speaking. But it’s a question that genuinely got me curious: how will I cope if my child is a bully?

To answer this, I sought help from Jet Mendoza, a practicing guidance counselor for 14 years, and Pepper, a learning specialist and Student Services Team Learning Leader in an international school. Here’s what I learned.

Continue reading “How to Cope When Your Child is the Bully”