How to put an end to your kid's bully behavior

Though bullying is not new, it is certainly getting more attention than ever and for good reason.

Is your kid the bully?

Of course parents want to protect their child(ren) from being the victim of bullying — and there are many resources out there to help parents protect their children from being bullied. But what do you do if you find out that your child is the bully?

Let your child know it’s wrong

If you hear from another parent, teacher, neighbor or friend that your child has been bullying other kids, you need to have a serious heart to heart with your kid right away. Regardless of your child's age, you need to find a way to explain that the behavior is wrong.

Find out how Lady Gaga plans to end bullying >> 

Bullying is not about being cool, sticking up for oneself or anything else. Make sure your child is clear on what bullying is and why it is not OK to bully other people. Be direct about how you expect your child’s behavior to change and the consequences that will come if it doesn’t.

Find out why kids bully >>

Consider his environment

Here’s the tough part — you may have to take a good look at your child’s environment (i.e. your home) to ensure that he’s not picking up any bullying habits from home sweet home. Are you a yeller? Does your husband pick on you or your kids (even if he’s “joking”)? Do you use fear as a discipline tactic? Do you or your husband use racial slurs or judge others in a way that would lead your child to believe that it’s OK to mimic the behavior? Be honest with yourself.

Demi Lovato hates on heartless bullies >>

More on bullying

Hey, bully, stay away from my friend
How a bully can change your life
Use discipline as opportunity to teach children