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What should parents do if their child is bullied while actively playing with a stranger?

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What should parents do if their child is bullied while actively playing with a stranger? By Anonymous | Published on December 18, 2024

My child is 15 months old. Today, when we went to the amusement park, my child wanted to play with a little boy, probably about 6 years old. He then said something mean like why did you pull him, and my child can't speak yet. I said that my sister wants to play with you, and he said that he wants to play with me, but I don't want to play with her. Then his grandmother said that my sister wants to play with you, so don't be so mean, and he said that if she wants to play with me, I don't want to play with her.

I was really upset, but since the other person was also a child, I didn't want to start an argument. I also didn't know how to teach my child to deal with such things.

When I was a child, I was bullied at school. Because I went to school early and was an only child, I was often excluded and bullied. I don't know what kind of mentality and how parents without trauma would handle such a thing when it happens to them, and how to comfort or teach their children how to face it next.

David Orion Black David Orion Black A total of 259 people have been helped

Hello, question asker! I can see you're feeling angry and worried. It's great that you want to teach your child to protect themselves when they grow up. It's also natural to worry that what happened to you will happen to your child. So you're looking for ways to teach your child, and your starting point is very good.

In the past, did you also want to be accepted by your classmates?

1. My child wanted to play with a little boy, probably about 6 years old. She pulled his clothes behind him, and the boy said angrily, "Why are you pulling me?" My child can't speak yet, so I said that my sister wanted to play with him. He then said that he wanted to play with me and that he didn't want to play with her. Later, his grandmother said that my sister wanted to play with him, so he shouldn't be angry. He then said that if she wanted to play with me, he didn't want to play with her.

(1). I think the little boy was also acting out of self-defense. When his sister pulled on his shirt, he felt angry, which was his emotion. Because he was angry, he also said that he didn't want to play with his little sister.

(2) The little boy's grandmother and your explanation were helpful for him to understand. But whether he wants to play with his sister is up to him, and we should respect that.

(3) When the little sister experiences something like this, the mother can comfort the child well by telling her directly that her brother is not happy and doesn't want to play, so let's go play something else. It's really important for the child that the mother's emotions are stable.

2. I was really upset, but I didn't want to start a fight with the other child, and I didn't know how to teach my child to deal with such things.

When I was a kid, I was bullied at school. I went to school early and was an only child, so I was often excluded and bullied. I don't know what kind of mentality and how to deal with it when parents who have not experienced trauma encounter such things, as well as how to comfort or teach children how to face it next.

(1). It's great that you know how to control your behavior, because the other person is just a 6-year-old child. It's good for children at this stage to express their emotions honestly, which we adults may not be able to do.

(2) How do you feel about your past experiences? What would you tell yourself if you could?

Can you accept your past experiences? You can start by becoming aware of them, and then you can write them down on paper.

(3) I think that when mom calms down, she can just smile at and hug the child to comfort him. The child doesn't understand what's going on, but she was rejected. You can talk to her about it and tell her to play with the baby and let the brother play by himself. Don't get emotional about it.

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George Wilson George Wilson A total of 7932 people have been helped

My dear, I want you to know that I am here for you. I can imagine and understand how much that experience hurt you, how deep it went, and what a huge impact it had on your growth.

I would like to begin by acknowledging that your decision to take a psychological test and consider seeking help from an external source demonstrates a commendable level of self-awareness and a willingness to seek assistance.

I believe that self-redemption is an effective way to help. You have already taken an important step. I admire your wisdom and courage.

I realize that it might be unkind of me to ask you to recall that experience now, to face the pain directly and work through it. I understand that it must be very painful for you.

I believe that when you wrote this question, you were already mentally prepared to face your pain.

Please don't be afraid. I will always be here for you, ready to support you in any way I can. Together, we can find the child who has suffered great pain but has received no help, protection, or love.

May I suggest that you embrace the child who is overwhelmed and imprisoned by feelings of powerlessness, helplessness, shame, and inferiority, and hold him tightly, telling him,

"I see you, and I understand that you feel helpless, powerless, and in pain. I accept you, and I am willing to face these challenges with you, to grow together.

You have my word that you are not alone. I will always be there for you, and I will give you courage and strength. You can trust me.

"

If it is not too much trouble, I would like to ask you a few questions. Are you ready?

If you don't mind sharing, how old were you when this happened? Did you tell your parents at the time?

If you did tell them, could you please tell me what their reaction was? How did you feel about their reaction?

After this incident, do you find yourself having an instinctive aversion and resistance to the opposite sex, and do you feel that every member of the opposite sex is untrustworthy, dirty, despicable, and wretched?

Do you ever feel a bit uneasy when you have to interact with people of the opposite sex? Is avoidance sometimes the only thing you can think to do?

I wonder if I might ask you about the math teacher and the male classmates?

From your description, it seems that your mother has not been able to help you as much as you might have needed. What about your father? I'm wondering if he might be able to help in some way.

It might be helpful to consider whether there are any other family members you can trust who could assist you in seeking psychological treatment.

They could also communicate with your parents to help them understand the severity of the internal trauma you have suffered and the necessity and urgency of solving the problem. Hopefully, this will encourage them to face the issue together with you and work towards healing together.

If that is not an option for you, you might consider seeking help from social welfare agencies.

I understand that my answer may not provide an immediate solution to your problem. I hope to offer some guidance that can help you find your way out of the darkness and into the light.

I wish you well, my dear child. You are a wonderful person and deserve the best things in life.

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Freya White Freya White A total of 9983 people have been helped

Hello! I'll give you a hug.

When your child is bullied, you remember being bullied too. You feel sad, angry, and humiliated. You want to know how to help your child protect themselves.

If you haven't healed from your own childhood trauma, you'll project it onto your child. Protecting your child is like protecting yourself.

Deal with the trauma so your child learns to protect herself.

When your child is young, read picture books about self-protection, play "house" games, and role-play so that he can practice how to deal with being bullied at home.

Take your child to meet friends and different environments to help her adapt and express her feelings.

If she's rejected at the playground, ask if she's hurt or scared. If she's scared, tell her you'll always be there for her.

"Mommy was scared too," let her know you understand.

If she can express herself, we must believe in her ability to protect herself and give her encouragement and support.

Children have their own world. They are independent. Mothers can observe and then guide. Excessive protection may also be harmful. Children need to explore relationships on their own. As long as we listen, don't judge, and provide companionship, there is no big problem.

Choose, bear the consequences, and I will be there for you.

I hope this helps. I love you.

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Hadley Hadley A total of 7501 people have been helped

The questioner is absolutely amazing! I'm Wheat, a counselor, and I give you a big, warm hug!

From your description, I can feel the immense care and love you have for your daughter! In terms of this incident, the other little boy was unwilling to play with your baby, and his attitude made you feel uncomfortable. So will this phenomenon trigger your child's emotions?

In fact, as a 15-month-old baby, she can't speak yet, and she wants to play with the 6-year-old boy, pulling the boy's clothes. From the parents' perspective, this is the child's favorite thing and she wants to play with the boy. For the boy, he doesn't really want to, and he feels that he is playing and being pulled by a little child, which disrupts his mood. But you know what? It's totally normal! Kids this age love to play with each other, and it's so adorable to see them interact. It's a great way for them to learn and grow, and it's also a wonderful opportunity for the parents to bond with their kids.

I didn't see how fierce the little boy's tone was, but the boy's grandmother said something really interesting. She said that the boy said, "My sister wants to play with you," and the boy explained, "I want to play with him," and so on.

This shows that in his case, he doesn't know what to do with a 15-year-old child, or that he doesn't want to in his heart, which is not a mistake. The good news is that playing should be based on mutual willingness, so there's plenty of room for improvement!

For parents facing this situation, it's important to remember that your child is just being their authentic self. They may come across as aggressive, but it's not a reflection of their true nature. It's also important to recognize that not all children are friendly, and that's okay!

You will associate it with the scene when you were bullied!

The good news is that you can easily handle this! The two children just don't want to play. Respond to your child in a timely manner, tell the older child that you are busy and that you will go play somewhere else, or hug the child to distract him from the little boy. The matter will pass. In fact, the child is fine. What he needs is his mother's sense of security and emotional stability.

Thankfully, you didn't say "boy" right away. You handled it very well! Once you say "boy" in front of your daughter, the boy will get emotional or the other family members will defend him, and there will be arguments. But don't worry! These things will inevitably affect the baby, so just keep doing what you're doing.

I really hope this sharing is helpful!

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Jackson Jackson A total of 5745 people have been helped

It can be quite upsetting when something like this happens. It's not uncommon for six-year-olds to find it challenging to play with children who are just over a year old, as the latter may not yet be able to speak. Some of their language skills may also not be fully developed.

When they want to show their goodwill, they often touch someone or tug at someone's sleeve.

This is the current social situation of your child. It seems that your child was simply trying to extend a gesture of goodwill, but the other children were perhaps a bit too aggressive in their response. It's possible that this child may not always respond well to such situations, and it's also possible that they may not be as well-disciplined as they could be.

It's also possible that your child may exhibit some tendencies towards spoiling or overindulgence. In such cases, it's important to remember that parents cannot interpret the situation, as it's a matter of wanting to play with someone but being rejected. It's crucial to understand that in the face of rejection, it's not the entire person who is being rejected, but rather a specific action or behavior.

Your child may still have the option of playing with someone closer to their own age, which could make it less likely that they will be rejected. At the time, the other child did not do a very good thing, and they actually needed to apologize. However, nowadays, for some reason, children and parents are not always willing to apologize.

Some people are still reluctant to apologize or bow their heads. It's just that when many people see two children, one of whom has been beaten, and then the parent of the beaten child may say things like, "Why didn't you hit him back? You must hit him back!" There are a variety of ways to approach this.

It seems that the younger child wanted to play with him, but he refused in a way that could be perceived as unkind. It's important to understand that such rejection can easily lead to feelings of anger and upset. It's crucial to remember that the rejection is just one aspect of the situation and that the child in question is not the whole person.

It seems that your child has not been completely rejected, perhaps because the other child is older and does not enjoy playing with those who cannot speak. Even if the two children were to play together, the content of the play might be somewhat limited, given that six-year-old children's physical mobility is also relatively active at this stage, and there is a possibility that they may accidentally hurt your child.

It might be best to avoid such a child for now, as he still has a bad attitude. I understand that you have experienced school bullying, so if your child encounters such a situation, it would be helpful to let their parents and teachers know as soon as possible so that they can address the issue.

It might be helpful to consider offering constructive feedback on the education as it should be, and imposing a school detention if necessary. There are also some potential punishment models that could be used on the bully. With time, this child will likely gain more courage to navigate complex interpersonal relationships as they grow up. It might also be beneficial to explore the option of talking about your feelings with a psychologist, so that you can process your emotions and gain more courage and confidence to face your child's education. Best wishes!

Could I just check with you about ZQ?

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Ethan Parker Ethan Parker A total of 1281 people have been helped

Dear Sir/Madam, Thank you for your question. Best regards,

As a mother, witnessing such an incident is distressing. It is natural for a mother to want to defend her child and to teach them how to respond in such a situation. As a fellow mother, I would like to share some of my views in the hope of offering new ideas.

Your child is 15 months old, a period of rapid development marked by significant growth in language and motor skills. He demonstrates a keen interest in learning through play, engaging with a range of objects and people in various forms of interaction, including verbal and physical contact.

For a child over one year old, the child is the center of the world. Everyone thinks the same as the child, and the child cannot consider the feelings of others. Of course, the child cannot perceive the mood of parents. The child does not have a strong perception of rejection from bad attitudes. This means the child will not have too many emotions such as grievances about this matter. The child may even think that this kind of interaction is also his brother playing with him. The basis for this judgment is that I have not seen the child have bad emotional expressions such as crying and fear after being rejected by his brother. This shows that the child is growing up healthily. The child will establish interpersonal relationships for himself.

It is possible that your child may experience rejection and bullying not only outside the home but also within it. For instance, if your child expresses a strong desire for something, but you, as a parent, decline for various reasons—such as safety concerns, suitability, or appropriateness—or if your child disobeys, you may respond in a stern manner. Unless the person rejecting your child speaks in a harsh tone of voice with a serious expression, your child should be able to accept rejection calmly.

Even if he was distressed at the time, he will usually forget what just happened soon after it happened. Therefore, there is no need to be concerned about him being hurt by this incident.

Additionally, as children develop an awareness of their independence at this stage, they may also experience conflicts with others at a later stage. For example, they may feel that any toy they see belongs to them, be unwilling to share their things with others, or "fight" with other children in order to get something. However, none of this is something they do on purpose; it is just a necessary stage in their growth. At the same time, a person's growth cannot be entirely smooth sailing. If parents give their children enough freedom to explore while ensuring their safety, they will be able to establish their own cognitive systems and develop their own unique interpersonal skills.

Furthermore, the original poster indicated that they were bullied at school during their own childhood due to their early arrival and status as an only child. This experience has likely instilled a sense of concern regarding this matter in them. It is understandable that a negative childhood experience can leave a lasting impression, particularly when it comes to the wellbeing of one's children. Just as our parents' generation often emphasized the importance of nutrition and basic necessities, many of us are now focused on ensuring our children have access to a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle.

Given that your child is now just over one year old, you may wish to consider teaching them how to deal with bullying at school. Your proactive approach is commendable, and I encourage you to explore the various resources available to support you in this endeavor. I have observed on other platforms, such as TikTok, that some psychologists who have experienced bullying at school or helped bullied children have come forward to share their experiences. Additionally, there are individuals and organizations that specialize in studying bullying at school and have also made their insights available. You may also find value in reading books or participating in anti-bullying learning programs. These can help you navigate this challenging topic while also equipping you with strategies to educate your child effectively.

From my own experience of studying and parenting, I believe that instilling self-respect, self-love, and confidence in a child is of paramount importance, regardless of future challenges. If a child does encounter difficulties that they cannot overcome independently, they will likely seek assistance from their parents or guardians, who will be prepared to provide the necessary support.

Let us discuss the incident involving your child and the approximately six-year-old boy who was discourteous in his response to your child's greeting.

"I don't want to play with him." From an adult perspective, this is perceived as impolite. However, you also stated, "I'm genuinely unhappy about it, but since the other person is also a child, I don't want to create a scene." This indicates that a child's behavior may not necessarily reflect an inherent lack of kindness but rather a natural aspect of their age.

Generally speaking, children prefer to play with older children because they find the games more creative and challenging, which greatly satisfies their curiosity about exploring the world. However, older children are less inclined to play with younger children, especially when there is a significant age difference, because they find it more difficult.

The older children of people I know do not behave in this way towards their own children. This is because the adults are familiar with each other, and if they behave in an impolite manner, it would be very embarrassing for them.

Furthermore, familiarity between the children encourages more inclusive behavior. However, it should be noted that when older children are impatient with younger ones, they may also engage in bullying behaviors.

The aforementioned observations are based on my personal experience.

You are not alone in facing these challenges. I wish you the best in navigating them.

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Grace Miller Grace Miller A total of 3285 people have been helped

Dear question asker,

From what I can tell, you love your child very much and want to protect her. It seems like you also want to learn more and find ways to help her. I admire your dedication.

From what I can tell, you love your child very much and want to protect her. It seems that after this incident, you also want to learn more and find ways to help. I admire your dedication.

In terms of the incident itself, it is not particularly serious, and the impact on a 15-month-old child is likely to be minimal. Infants at this age have limited cognitive abilities, and the cognitive development of young children is an important stage between the ages of 3 and 6. Therefore, there is no need to be overly concerned.

In terms of the incident itself, it is not particularly serious, and the impact on a 15-month-old child is likely to be minimal. Infants at this age have limited cognitive abilities, and the cognitive development of young children is an important stage between the ages of 3 and 6. Therefore, there is no need to be overly concerned.

I believe that being upset is unnecessary. If you want to educate your child well, it is important to be mentally prepared, as your attitude will greatly influence your child's judgment of how things develop. For example, if a child falls down, they may not feel any pain, but if the parent is overly nervous, the child will immediately

I believe that being upset is unnecessary. If you want to educate your child well, you must also have the right attitude, because your attitude will greatly influence your child's judgment of how things develop. For example, if a child falls down, they may not feel any pain, but if the parent is overly nervous, the child will immediately cry. Of course, this is not to say that you should ignore your child's feelings. When something like this happens, you must first learn to listen and accept your child's emotions and feelings, and then guide and influence them, distinguishing between the main and the secondary.

"I was bullied at school when I was young. Because I went to school early and was an only child, I was often excluded and bullied. I'm not sure what kind of mentality and how parents who have not been traumatized will handle this when they encounter such things, as well as how to comfort or teach their children how to face it next."

Given my own experiences, I can understand why I might feel a little nervous when my child encounters similar situations. I may even find myself taking on or exaggerating their situation. However, I believe that characterizing all conflicts and friction between children as bullying could have negative consequences for their physical and mental development.

It is often difficult to predict the consequences of children's misbehavior. Their actions may appear to be driven by instinct, and while they may not intend to cause harm, their actions can still have a negative impact on others.

It is often difficult to predict the consequences of children's misbehavior. Their actions may appear instinctive and less subject to malicious intent.

It is around 24 months that babies start to show self-awareness of objects around them. This means that they can distinguish between themselves and others. One way of helping a child to understand what has happened is to put them in the position of the object. As self-awareness is an instinct, when a negative event occurs, the child may often wonder whether it is their fault.

It is important to reassure your child right away. You can tell him that it is not his fault and that it is not because he does not like you that he does not want to play with you. Perhaps you would like to play by yourself as well.

Perhaps we could play with you, or we could go play with your friend so-and-so.

It is often the case that a child is more influenced by the actions of their parents than by what is often referred to as "teaching." It could be said that actions speak louder than words. Some might say that love is more important than education.

It is often the case that a child is more influenced by the actions of their parents than by what is often referred to as "teaching." Actions often speak louder than words. In many cases, love is more important than education.

My name is Xiao Dong, and I'm a psychological counselor. I hope you have a happy life!

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Michael Fernandez Michael Fernandez A total of 3016 people have been helped

Hello!

She can see that you are worried because your daughter wants to play with the older boy but has been rejected. You are worried that your child will be excluded and bullied, just as you were when you were a child. But don't worry! This is a normal part of growing up and learning to navigate social interactions.

I can understand your worries at the moment, because my child is also just over two years old. As parents, we worry too much about our children's growth — but it's also so exciting!

A 15-month-old child has just learned to walk and is brimming with curiosity about everything! It is also from this time that she will slowly break away from her parents and embark on an incredible journey of exploration into the outside world.

At this stage, she is brimming with curiosity! We get to be right there with her, protecting her from harm as she discovers the world around her. Along the way, she'll meet all kinds of people and things, some friendly and some not so friendly.

We have the amazing opportunity to teach her how to deal with these situations, whether they are friendly or not!

When a child pulls a little boy's clothes, it's just out of curiosity! The little boy's response may simply be to tell you that he doesn't like being pulled.

However, the way he responded made you very unhappy. Because you saw in his response the excluded and bullied you from your childhood, your upset contains grievances, anger, fear, withdrawal, and a sense of being at a loss.

You're not sure how to face the excluded you from your childhood. But when you turn back to your daughter, she can see how to handle things from your reaction!

So, how can we help our daughters learn to face things head-on?

First, we need to tell ourselves that we can protect our daughter now that we've grown up and gained enough energy to protect her. We were excluded when we were young because we were small and didn't have enough strength at the time, but now we're stronger than ever!

Secondly, we can gently tell our daughter afterwards (although she can't speak yet): "Brother doesn't want to play with you, but that's okay! It's not your fault, it's because he's too big and likes to play with older children, we're still too young, but we can find a friend our age to play with. Then next time we want to play with someone else, we can just tell him directly, 'Brother, can I play with you?'

Or you can pull your mother over and let her talk to him!

It's amazing how a good guide can prevent further harm to the child, even if it seems like a small thing!

I'm so excited to share this with you! I really hope it helps!

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Mortimer Jackson A man who forgives an injury proves himself to be superior to the man who caused the injury.

It's tough seeing our little ones face rejection. My child also struggled with social interactions at that age. Kids can be so unpredictable in how they respond to others. I wish my kid could just enjoy playing without facing such moments. It brings back memories of my own childhood struggles. I wonder if we should teach them resilience from an early age or protect them from these experiences. Sometimes I think it's best to let kids figure things out on their own, but other times I feel like intervening is necessary. It's hard not knowing the right way to handle it when your child looks to you for guidance. How do we prepare our children for a world that isn't always kind?

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