Here's an excerpt from a Washington Post article by Phyllis L. Fagell:
Bullying strips kids of their dignity and leaves scars. Some children bounce back, while others struggle to rebound. There is no one-size-fits-all intervention, but here are nine ways parents can build a child’s resilience.
Change the narrativeHelp kids understand that they are the main character of their story and that bullying is just one small part of it. Matt Langdon, a bullying expert and president of the Hero Construction Company, urges adults to use the hero’s journey model to put things in perspective.
“The hero starts knowing the rules of the place, is taken to a different world with new rules, then goes on a journey and changes,” he says.
He recommends using books such as the “Harry Potter” series to underscore that heroes learn, and emerge, from their struggles. Parents also can watch the latest superhero movie or young adult romance adventure with their kids and note any parallels or lessons.
“There’s a lot of focus on toughening up bullying targets, and it’s just so wrongheaded,” Langdon says.
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