Bullying: What parents and schools can doARTICLE BY PROF RITA NIEMANN, NALIZE MARAIS, ZENDRÉ SWANEPOEL AND MONIERA MOOSA
Bullying is a great concern for both parents and schools. Here we outline a number of measures that can help them both parties deal with bullying.
Parents
When parents notice that their child is behaving differently – not wanting to go to school, using illness as an excuse, suddenly performing poorly at school or enuresis – and suspect bullying, they need to act immediately.
Firstly, they must determine where this is happing (at school, at a sports club, on social media, etc.) and who the perpetrator(s) are.
Secondly, if the bullying is taking place in an organised environment such as at school or sports club, the authorities need to be informed and requested to step in. They are legally bound to protect the rights of the child.
Thirdly, parents have the responsibility to equip their children to cope by:
- Instilling the knowledge that children must take a stand and that they have a choice in allowing someone else to victimise them.
- Assisting children to terminate relationships that are potentially harmful, such as blocking a person on social media.
- Helping them to identify bullies and the different forms of bullying.
- Creating a safe space for children to speak about what is happening to them.
- Emphasising assertive verbal communication if threatened.
- Building children’s self-concept.
- Getting the help of a psychologist, if necessary, to counsel the victim.
- Emphasising that respectful behaviour is always the best option and thus preventing retaliation.
- Fostering problem-solving and conflict resolution skills with the focus on restoring damaged relationships.
- Working collaboratively to solve the problem with their children so that they can feel reassured.
Schools
As bullying is a deliberate act to hurt someone, there must be consequences for the bully. Once teachers are aware that a bullying incident has taken place at school, the matter must be dealt with by:
- Asking the victim to provide the names of the perpetrator(s), as well as the names of friends of the victim, as soon as he/she has calmed down.
- Counselling the victim and finding out whether he/she has been injured and what effect the bullying or harassment has had on him or her.
- Cultivating a “no blame” approach towards bullying or harassment.
- Establishing punitive sanctions for both the bully and for any bystanders.
- Developing a bullying code of conduct/bullying policy and informing learners of this.
- Having designated teachers to deal with incidents of bullying.
- Facilitating mediation and discussions with the victim and the bully, depending on the severity of the bullying.
- Passing the responsibility to the bully or group of bullies to make sure that the problem is solved.
- Ensuring that potential bystanders understand that they have a vital role to play during bullying incidents.
- Letting the victims feel protected after they have reported the incident.
- Encouraging learners to make suggestions on how they can contribute to alleviating the negative experiences of the victim.
- Scheduling follow-up meetings to monitor the situation where each party has to share how things are going.
- Informing the parents of both the bully and the victim about the incident/s.
The principal and teachers have a crucial role to play in directing learners towards becoming responsible citizens. They should create a safe and secure environment, establish a non-violent culture, and be good role models for all learners.
Reference
Niemann, R., Marais, N., Swanepoel, Z. & Moosa, M. 2016. Problem areas in schools In: Jacobs, M. Teaching-learning Dynamics, Johannesburg: Pearsons
Dr Shevel has been the Medical Director at The Headache Clinic since its inception in 1992. He now heads a team of specialists and researchers that have correlated data from the disciplines of Neurology, Surgery, Physiotherapy, Radiology, General Practice, Psychology, Psychiatry, Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, ENT, and many others.
He has been instrumental in advancing classification, diagnosis and most importantly treatment of the underlying causes of migraine, cluster, hemiplegic migraine, tension-type, and many other kinds of primary headache.
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Start 2021 Smart with Smart Nutrition and a Great EducationStand a chance to win a year’s worth of school fees
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Dr Shevel has been the Medical Director at The Headache Clinic since its inception in 1992. He now heads a team of specialists and researchers that have correlated data from the disciplines of Neurology, Surgery, Physiotherapy, Radiology, General Practice, Psychology, Psychiatry, Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, ENT, and many others.
He has been instrumental in advancing classification, diagnosis and most importantly treatment of the underlying causes of migraine, cluster, hemiplegic migraine, tension-type, and many other kinds of primary headache.
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SCHOOL CHILDREN AND THEIR CHANGING NUTRITIONAL NEEDSAs our kids enter their school-going years their growth is steady, but slower and somewhat less dramatic when compared to the rapid baby-toddler-to-little-person transformation. It’s an interesting time nutritionally as school-going children tend to be more open to trying different foods and are developing their foodie likes and dislikes. They are more able and adept at learning about different foods and their nutritional impact, so you can really start communicating with them about the importance of food and healthy eating. Many of our lifelong dietary habits are rooted in this young life-stage.
According to Zelda Ackerman, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for ADSA (The Association for Dietetics in South Africa) the primary school-going age is an ideal time for parents to help set our children up for a lifetime of healthy eating. She says, “What happens around food in both the home and school is really important not just to ensure optimal nutrition for growing bodies, but to educate our children about how important daily food choices are to our overall health and our abilities to perform well in life. For instance, balanced nutrition is vital for developing strong bones, teeth and muscles, as well as supporting our immune system to prevent disease. However, it impacts too on our abilities to focus and learn in the classroom, and to achieve in sports and other physical activities.”
Physical growth demands energy, and children’s energy needs are high. According to another ADSA spokesperson, Vanessa Clarke, also a Registered Dietitian, “These energy needs increase as children get older and are influenced greatly by a child’s level of exercise. As children move through the various school levels, their energy demands will increase which means they need more carbohydrates, protein and fat to support necessary bodily functions and their growth. Children may also require increasing amounts of certain vitamins and minerals as they get older. Some children going through adolescence who are physically active each day may require more energy in the form of calories than even an adult female or male. It’s also important to remember that children continue to grow and develop well beyond their tweens and during their teenage years into young adulthood.”
During your child’s school-going years, it’s essential to get a good start to the day in the form of a sufficient balanced breakfast, even if it is a breakfast on the go. A balanced breakfast means that the meal includes high-fibre carbohydrates (wholewheat toast, oats, granola), protein (eggs, cheese, yoghurt) and fat (avocado, nut butters, olive oil), as well as vitamins and minerals (fruit and/or veg). This sets them off to school with a powered up brain and energy to spend. It’s typical for school-going children to need to eat four to five times a day – their snacks are really important, so don’t skip or skimp on their lunchboxes.
What is an optimal school lunchbox?
Depending on their school age and their after-school activities, your child’s lunchbox may be their snack or their midday meal. For older children participating in late afternoon after school activities, their lunchbox may need to contain their morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack. You need to adjust the quantities based on the day’s schedule and your child’s level of physical activity.
In order to ensure the lunchbox is optimal nutritionally, always strive for a balanced snack or a balanced meal containing all the essential nutrients. Focus on home-prepared wholefoods rather highly processed snack foods. Vanessa offers this suggestion:
- Include high-fibre carbohydrates such as wholewheat bread, wholewheat wrap or high fibre crackers such as Provitas. Choosing a high fibre option ensures they stay fuller for longer, and have a more sustained level of energy
- Add a fruit like an apple, naartjie, banana or nectarine
- Pop in a portion of vegetables such as sweet pepper strips, cucumber wedges or carrot sticks
- Include a protein portion by making a chicken mayo sandwich with the high-fibre bread, or add chicken drumsticks, meatballs, biltong or cheese
- Make sure they have their freshly filled up water bottle to meet their fluid needs. You can add a sprig of mint, a lemon slice or a few blueberries if they prefer flavoured water. Avoid any sugar-sweetened beverages that contribute towards obesity and tooth decay
If your child will be having a longer school day, add extra portions of fruit and veg and raw nuts, and consider including a yoghurt or smoothie. Older children participating in sports may also need an extra wholewheat sandwich and additional lean protein portions to help preserve lean muscle mass.
Dealing with the challenges of food at school
School tuck shops can be a source of food for your children, but parents need to be aware of what kinds of foods and drinks are on offer. There are many convenience and snack foods that, although marketed to children, are nutrient-poor and contribute to rising childhood obesity. School tuck shops that do not have well-informed, dietitian-led healthy eating policies often offer these types of foods because they are popular with children and drive profits. Zelda says, “Parents need to stand together and approach school governing bodies to raise their concerns about unhealthy food being offered at school. Of course, children like sweets, chocolates, crisps and sugary drinks – and if they are on offer, that’s what they will choose. School tuck shops need to be committed to only offering healthy food, snack and drink options. A registered dietitian can help parents with a list of healthy tuck shop food and drink options.”
Under-resourced South African schools also face school food challenges with many parents concerned about the nutritional quality of the school’s nutrition programme. Zelda says, “Sometimes, there are problems around the inadequate supply of food to address child hunger, but a persistent issue is the lack of fresh vegetables and fruit. Here, parents can help to motivate or get involved in the establishment of school food gardens to supplement school meals. Many nutritious vegetables such as spinach, beetroot, tomatoes, beans and butternuts are easily grown by beginner gardeners. Schools often have the physical space to develop food gardens on the campus, which can include the planting of fruit trees. There are also school food gardening programmes that schools can join to access information and gardening resources.”
What are the top tips for parents who are struggling to get their school-going kids to eat balanced meals?
Vanessa says:
- Make it fun – Children often ‘eat with their eyes’ so presenting visually appealing foods cut into fun shapes may entice them to try new foods
- Get them involved – Collaborating to prepare the daily lunchbox can help with combating fears over foods and increase likeliness to try and eat healthier foods
- Variety is the spice of life – Different foods provide different nutrients so offering an array of foods is key
- Respect their tastes – Always offer them something you know they will eat in their lunchbox or plate even if it is the same fruit or veg every day. Then add a different fruit or vegetable in with it. Children are more likely to try different foods if it is paired with a food they already like.
- Talk about food and health – Healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle should be an ongoing conversation in the home. Chat to your child about healthy eating, the demands on their bodies and how they are met by food and particular nutrients found in food. Understanding important nutrients and how they help their bodies shouldn’t only be something they learn about in the classroom. Make healthy eating an enjoyable and shared family priority
- Model healthy eating – When it comes to our children, what we do is more important than what we say, and while they may not always listen to what we say, they are always observing what we do! Being their role model for healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways you can help them become healthy eaters.
In conclusion, Zelda adds:
Parents are the suppliers of food to their school-going children. It is through your shopping selections and meal choices that they access healthy, balanced meals and snacks – or not. Create a healthy food environment at home by choosing to buy and prepare wholefoods and fresh foods that are easy to eat and freely accessible to your kids, while unhealthy food items are simply just not available in your home.
Dr Shevel has been the Medical Director at The Headache Clinic since its inception in 1992. He now heads a team of specialists and researchers that have correlated data from the disciplines of Neurology, Surgery, Physiotherapy, Radiology, General Practice, Psychology, Psychiatry, Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, ENT, and many others.
He has been instrumental in advancing classification, diagnosis and most importantly treatment of the underlying causes of migraine, cluster, hemiplegic migraine, tension-type, and many other kinds of primary headache.
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Post Views: 38,304
