Many chat rooms and online game services have rules agreements in that place that do not tolerate verbal abuse or inappropriate language. Make sure that your child is a member only on sites that have this type of agreement. If your child becomes targeted contact the site administrators and report the abuse. In most cases the person responsible will get a warning or will be banned from using the site. The administrators may also contact other sites to let them know of the situation and the abuser may also be blocked from those sites as well.

Blocking is another effective technique to shutting down a cyber bully. If your child recognises the phone number or the on screen name that the bully is using they can simply activate the blocking feature. This will prevent the bully from being able to send abusive messages directly. If the bully is unable to directly contact their victim they will often loose interest.

Many parents are not aware that their child may be an online bully. If you know who the on-line bully is contact the parents of that child and make them aware of the situation. Many parents who find out their child is cyber bully will be willing to aid in getting the problem resolved.

If you do not know who the online bully is and the bullying is threatening, pornographic or harassing you may have to take legal action. If the bully has hacked into an account or has stolen a password it is time to contact the police. It is important to keep track of any information you have about the bully. How often it is happened, which sites were used and what were the messages directed at your child. These incidents should be reported quickly before they become an even bigger problem. Cyber bullying like all bullying should never be ignored.

Where once bullying was confined to face to face interaction the cyber bully can now reach his victims through the internet or other modern means of communication. Bullying is no longer confined to the workplace or school yard. Where once the victim could find refuge in their home this security is now being taken away. The victim can easily be targeted through the use of cell phones or the computers.

Cyber bullies tend to be even more hurtful and aggressive online than they would be in person because most of the time they can remain anonymous. They have less fear of being caught. They also have the advantage of the fact that they do not have to face an actual physical confrontation with their victim. The damage can all be done from the safety of their own home.

With a few simple words online from the bully the victim can be humiliated and harassed at any time. And once something is on the net it is virtually impossible to eradicate it. The bully can also reach a much wider audience. It is possible for victims to be harassed not only by children within their own actual peer group but from others who might be half a world away. The internet exposes to children to a whole new world where bullies can be anywhere at any time and have no fear of reprisals.

While directly blocking the bully is almost always an option it does not prevent the bully from continuing to post or leave comments on websites about the victim. This often happens in chat rooms or online game sites where children and adults form groups or cliques on line.

Stopping the schoolyard bully was almost always feasible. Stopping on line bullying is virtually impossible. Comments made on line can reach an almost unlimited number of people. The chances of discovering the sender and of being able to convince them to stop their tactics are almost none. The damage being caused by cyber bullies is far worse than most people know and the emotional damage being done is immeasurable.

Stress Bullies: Adult bullies are often acting out on stress either at home or in the workplace. They are unable to deal with these feelings and take their aggression out on others. This person may not normally be a bully but cannot handle the problems of stress. These bullies tend to be short tempered and are very easily agitated. This type of situation is usually temporary.

The Client Bully: These bullies can be very hard to deal with. Nurses, teachers and people in the service industry tend to fall victims to this type of bullying most often. These people are bullied by the people they are serving. Nurses are bullied by patients, teachers get bullied by students and general customers bully people in the service industry. Often there are strict guidelines that these jobs have to follow so dealing with a bully can be a real challenge. Many people who are power bullies take advantage of people in these professions.

Power Bully: This type of bully uses an employee’s fear of losing their job to intimidate them. They get people to skip breaks, lunches and work longer hours, on a regular basis out of fear. They places unreasonable tasks upon the employee, knowing that they will be unable to finish in a normal day and will have to work longer hours. The victim complies because they are intimidated. This type of bullying often occurs in smaller work places, where there employees do not have resources like an union to fall back on.

Promotion Bully: This type of bully is a person who gets a minor promotion and suddenly gets ideas of grandeur. They become ‘power happy’. They realise that they have been given some authority and begin to exercise that authority but they do not know how or when to stop. Often they are not adept or have the skills to approach the employees in a positive, appropriate manner. This bullying can be easily remedied by sending these people on a basic people skills course.

Controlling Bully: This bully is usually in a position of some authority. They have an obsessive need to be right. The only way of doing things is their way and they will become angry and abusive if any dares to challenge their way of thinking. They feel threatened by change, often feeling like it shows their own inadequacies.

Gang Bully: This type of bullying often targets someone new or different in the office. A group of employees who are friends will target a victim. They will exclude the victim from ‘water cooler’ conversations, lunch activities, use gossip and rumours to intimidate, isolate and humiliate their victim.

They will attempt to undermine the person’s work and make them feel like an outcast. Quite often this type of bullying is hard to stop because the group will stick together, and it is easier for an employer to replace one person who does not seem to fit in rather than the entire team.

Unfortunately no matter what profession you are in you are bound to come across a workplace bully of some kind. Few States or Provinces have any kind of laws or regulations on workplace bullying. Workplace bullying can be very hard to define or prove. Your best strategy for handling these people is to get information on verbal skills and techniques that will enable you to get the bullying to stop. Bullying should never be tolerated.

The number of incidents, the amount of times incidents occur and the pattern of the incidents will all add up to prove that bullying is occurring. Keeping detailed records of these things is very important. These records should include the date, time, witnesses and exactly what was said. Also the result of the action or if any action occurred should be recorded. All e-mails, memos and notes should be copied and kept as proof of bullying. Be sure that these records are not kept anywhere that the bully may have access to.

Sometimes the direct approach is best. With a reliable witness, a supervisor or manager, directly approach the bully. Let them know in no uncertain terms that their behaviour is not going to be tolerated. Let them know that you are aware that they are trying to bully you and that it is not gong to work. Get the situation out in the open.

Discreetly approach other employees and find out if they are experiencing the same kinds of problems. It is better if more than one person is involved because it adds credibility to the charges and prevents it from becoming a ‘he said she’ said situation. Many employees are afraid to come forward for fear not only of the bully but of losing their job. Often it is easier for a group.

Take your case to the highest available person in the company. Or if you are part of an organization or union go to them with all of the documented evidence. You might also include a detailed report on the effects of bullying in the workplace. Bullying in the workplace causes low moral, higher staff turnover, lowers productivity, and potential law suits and all of this comes at the expense of the company.

Above all when dealing with a workplace bully, do not ever retaliate or threaten the bully. Do not ever put yourself in a position of having to defend yourself. You definitely do not want it to look like you are the one doing the bullying. But be aware, that people who report bullying do not often get the results they expect, especially if they do not have very good documentation and back-up.

But if you have a job worth fighting for and a good company, they will realise the advantages to correcting the situation. A bully in the workplace affects everyone and the sooner the issue is dealt with the better the workplace will be for everyone. And at no point should bullying ever be tolerated.

Bullies often see violence, or forms of verbal abuse in the home. They may feel that communicating in this was is perfectly normal. They are simply acting out anger and frustration in the same way other members of their family do. Teaching the child ways to communicate these feelings without bullying will go al long way to ending the cycle.

Bullies sometimes act out of fear. They are trying not to show their own inabilities. They do not want other children to become more popular, or to do better them. They try to make the other child feel self conscious, humiliated or embarrassed. By devaluating others they hope to show their own self worth in these eyes of their peers. Bullies often are popular children who believe that they have to maintain their status by lowering others.

Children sometimes bully others who are different from themselves. The bully may target children who may have different religious beliefs, or a different culture. Some of these beliefs may come from the home, and some of just of fear or lack of understanding about something that this different or alien.

Some children become bullies because they want attention. They find that any attention is better than none. They like the feeling of being in control and of having power over others. Some children do not even realise how much their behaviour is affecting others. They may see it is being cool. These children need to learn how to sympathise with others.

When dealing with any kind of bully it is very important to get to the root of the bullies behaviour. Their behaviour often continues into adulthood, if it is not addressed. Children who become bullies are more likely to get into crime, do drugs, or become alcoholics. If children are given the correct tools they can overcome their problems and stop bulling others.

First, teach your child what is bullying, in all its forms. Bullying is not just physical, it can be emotional or verbal. Let them know that it is not normal behaviour and that nobody has the right to treat them in that fashion. Let them know that it is alright to tell somebody about the situation.

Children often target people who are different. If your child is smaller or heavier, wear glasses or braces they may become targets. Children who have learning problems or suffer from a handicap often become victims. Children can almost always find something to tease or taunt another child about. Popular confident children may pose a threat to other children. There is no “all safe” way to avoid a bully.

Make sure that your child does not bring expensive items to school, or carry large amounts of money. Make sure that they do not brag or discuss owning expensive items, like games or ipods. Tell them to stay with friends in the playground and practice the buddy system. They should try to avoid being caught alone at school or on the playground.

Teach them to walk in a confident brisk fashion. Children who slump or try to hide often create an image of being weaker. Tell them to stand up straight and walk with a purpose. Use eye contact with other children, and speak clearly to others and do not mumble.

Children who have difficulties making friends will often become the target of bullies. Help to get your child involved in activities outside of school where they can make friends. Arrange play dates for your child to spend time with friends. This will give them more opportunities to practice social skills outside of school.

Getting your child involved in martial arts or self defence classes that deal with confidence building will go a long way.

Children who have been a bully in the past may become the targets of retaliation. If your child has victimised a child they might become the victim of friends or siblings of the victim. Often when children try to help or support a friend who has been bullied they take things too far. They then turn the abuser into the abused.

Keep an eye on your child and look for signs that they are being bullied. A reluctance to go to school or participate in activities that they normally enjoy, may be signs that your child is falling victim to a bully. Watch to see if your child becomes withdrawn, or depressed. It is important to stop bully as soon as possible, and by knowing the signs of bullying and recognising potentially dangerous behaviour will go a long way to breaking the bullying cycle.

Take the problem seriously, do not brush it off as simple ‘kids being kids’. Do not try to down play the situation as something that will just go away. And do not over react. Some parents will go to the other extreme and actually escalate the problem.

The first thing to do is to sit your child down and talk to them. Tell them that you are proud that they came forward and had the courage to tell you about the situation. Make sure that they understand that it is not their fault. They are not the ones that have the problem. Many children feel that they are somehow responsible in some way for being the victim. They feel that they have somehow provoked the attack or are not good enough in some way. Reassure your child that they worthy and special, and they are in no way to blame.Find out as much as you can about the situation. How long has it been going on? Where does it happen? How many children are involved? How often does it happen, what are the actual messages?

Find out what your child has done if anything to try and get the problem stopped. Did anyone see the incident? Try and assess how dangerous the situation is. Is your child in real physical danger? Write these things down.

Once you have as much information about the situation as you can get, you and your child can figure out the best way to handle the bully.

Verbal Skills: Teach your how to use humour to confront the bully. Exchanging insults will usually not end the situation and will often cause it to escalate. Talk directly to the bully. Make eye contact and use a clear voice. If you need to have your child practice in front of a mirror.

Positive Attitude and Manner: Bullies often target the children who look and act meek. Teach your child to walk with a confident stride, head up and shoulders back. Show them how body language sends a message to others. Standing off to the side with arms folded creates the impression of fear and insecurity. Show them how to create a confident attitude by standing with arms at their sides and their head up.

Talk to Teachers: Bring in a copy of your written information. Having documented incidents is a far better approach than simply trying to remember details. It also tells the teacher how seriously you are taking the situation.

Friends: Tell your child to stick with a buddy. Don’t get into isolated situations. Stay in crowded areas, on the streets and on the playground.

Also be sure that your child knows the things that they should not do. Retaliation is never acceptable, telling your child to stand up and hit the bully back is only helping to continue the cycle. And in some cases your child may become the one who is the bully.

Also make sure that your child knows that walking or running away if there is a real fear of physical harm is the right thing to do. And to go directly to an adult.

Approaching the other child’s parents may or may not have the desired effect. Many parents of bullies will deny, or downplay the situation. If the situation is serious enough you my want to have a meeting with the other parents at the school.

Remember bullying is not “just children playing” it can have very damaging long term effects to both the bully and the victim. Take action as soon as possible and stop the cycle.

Children who are bullies have very little empathy for other people. They tend to be short tempered and are easily aggravated and impulsive. They often tend to be sore losers and bad winners. They are controlling and aggressive. Children who bully tend to get into fights frequently with their siblings and with other children.

Watch how your child interacts with others. Do they exclude certain children from playing? Do they always have to be in control and be the leader? Are they aggressive towards others? Does the play involve hitting or physical contact?

Children who are bullies do not respond well to rules and discipline. Talk to your child’s teachers and find out how they are behaving at school. Does your child have a lot of friends? How do they interact? Your child may not be the bully but may be a part of a group that is bullying others. As a way of fitting in with a peer group your child may be behaving out of character.

Joking between friends is fine but should only go so far. If one child is constantly being singled out this is bullying. If the jokes are hurtful or discriminating the behaviour should be stopped. If the jokes are intended to humiliate or embarrass the other child it is bullying. If the other child is not responding in a joking laughing manner but seems to be fearful or timid it could be bullying.

Spreading rumours or gossiping about other children in a hurtful way is a form of bullying. Emotional bullying can have very damaging effects. Sending cruel or hurtful e-mails or text messages is another form of bullying. Children use these methods to intimidate and humiliate others. Making fun of another child when they are not present and are unable to defend themselves could be bullying.

If you suspect that your child is bullying in any way, your best possible course of action is talking with your child about correct behaviour. Your child may not think they are a bully and they might not realise the hurt that are causing others. It is important for them to realise that these behaviours are hurtful to everyone and are not tolerated.

What do you do now?

First, stay clam. Your first reaction may be to either dismiss or deny the situation, or to punish the child. Take a step back and listen to what the other person is telling you. Get as many details as you can about the situation. Do not dismiss the situation, take it seriously. Remember that bullies can be just as hurt by their actions as their victims. The goal here is to help your child.

Talk with your child about the situation and listen to your child. There are many reason why children bully others. It is up to you to find out what is causing this behaviour in your child and to give them the tools needed to develop better and acceptable social skills.

Children who are bullies are often the victims of bullies themselves. They may have poor social skills or lack self confidence. Your child may not realise that their actions are mean and hurtful. They may be trying to fit in with a group or gain attention. They may be trying to protect a friend who is the victim of a bully. In order to deal with the issue you first have to understand it.

Talk with your child about how bullying affects others. Explain to them that bullying is not acceptable, any where or at any time. Teach them ways that are appropriate to deal with feelings of anger or frustration. Let them know that you are there to listen and help. Let them know that bullying will not be tolerated and tell them what the consequences of this behaviour are going to be, both at home, and at school.

Get your child involved in group activities that focus on cooperation and teamwork. Make sure that is a well supervised situation. Set up play dates where you can supervise the activities and promote sharing and good social skills.

Work with the school, teachers, and if necessary other parents. Talk with teachers and counsellors and take an active part in correcting your child’s problem. Get advice and help if you feel unable to handle the situation alone. Do follow ups to ensure that the behaviour has stopped. Ask teachers to keep you appraised of your child’s interactions with other children at school. And be sure that you reward and praise your child when they do the correct thing.

The main difference that separates bullying from harassment is that harassment has physical factors such as uninvited touching, intruding in one’s personal space, and/or the damaging of one’s possessions. Bullying differs in the fact that it is almost always emotional or psychological and it often involves verbal and/or written communication and actions. This elusive nature of workplace bullying makes it a great deal more toilsome to stop than harassment.

Another difference between bullying and harassment is that adult bullies will target anybody, even popular thriving people. In fact, by and large, adult bullies direct their antics at people they perceive to be better than themselves and not at people who are thought of as weaker. On the other hand, one who harasses generally singles out those who are dissimilar than the majority whether it be race, gender, and/or other distinct differences. Harassment of these minorities is often identified and even expected, whereas bullying of people who do not have these divergences is more difficult to distinguish. Probably the best way to differentiate between the two is to remember that harassment is founded on discrimination whereas bullying is based on jealousy and/or insecurity.

It should be noted that only one instance of harassment is required to distinguish it as harassment. This differs harassment from bullying since bullying is oftentimes an ongoing problem. Harassment can happen repeatedly but it does not have to, whereas bullying always takes place more than once and typically many times. Harassment it also normally more apparent and involves things that are easy to spot as a inappropriate. Bullying can be much more subtle and even the victim may not even recognise they are being bullied until after it begins to come about regularly. Unfortunately, this often means that harassment victims are acknowledged quickly and sympathized with, while bullying victims are often not recognized at all.

An interesting fact about adult bullying is that it largely comes about in the workplace. Harassment differs in that it almost always takes place both inside and outside of work. Harassers frequently take pleasure in targeting other people, while bullies bully to conceal their own insecurities and to rule out the threat they perceive in other people.

So as you can see, there are some distinguishable differences between bullying and harassment. However, what is most significant is that we are able to identify both of these iniquities and do what we can to eliminate them from the workplace.