Towards the end of the term peer issues often increase as students get tired. Below are some concepts that you might find helpful if you need to support your child to deal with unkindness from other children:
BUZ bullyproofing
The BUZ program identifies 5 options for Bully proofing, or when peers are being mean.
These are walk, talk, and get help for junior school children and additionally bounce (or deflect), and bully shields for middle and upper primary. Giving children different options can empower them to select and try strategies that make the most sense to them.
Duck vs Sponge
Another empowering concept is to encourage children to be ducks 🦆 rather than sponges 🧽. While a sponge absorbs the water (negativity from others), a duck has water proofing and can swim through the water without absorbing it. I find this analogy helpful if children are getting emotionally stuck and dwelling on the others poor behaviour. This analogy instead encourages them to be resilient, bounce back and focus on their response, which they are in control of.
Helpful Friends
Finally, being a supportive friend or classmate can have a significant impact on the way others are being treated. I.E. being an ally vs being a silent bystander. Sometimes your child might be indirectly affected by witnessing bullying and be unsure how to respond.
Middle and upper school children usually have the maturity to constructively engage poor behaviour. Children get how bad it would feel to be bullied, especially when no one says anything to help! While it can be easy to freeze in confronting circumstances, some prior reflection can make it a lot easier to respond to such circumstances with confidence.
Some options they can consider are speaking out publicly, talking privately, talking to an adult, or moving away. Again, different personalities will prefer different approaches, and these are context dependent. Some considerations include: How emotionally close are they to the antagonist? What is likely to be effective? What might help nip things in the bud? What will likely escalate or de-escalate the situation? And most importantly, do they feel safe? Again, being given alternatives without pressure can help children to consider strategies that make the most sense to them.
I hope your children are having a smooth end to the year. These just-in-case options may be a helpful go-to if the need arises. And of course, teachers, and admin (and myself through these staff) are available to support your child should you ever wish to be in touch.