A grade 5 student from Pantay Bata Elementary School in Tanauan City, Batangas has died after one of his classmates punched him.
He fell and hit his head
According to a report, 10-year-old Carlo Mueco was constantly bullied by one of his classmates, an 11-year-old named "Johnny."
At around 10:30 in the morning, their teacher told them to move to a different classroom for their class. While the students were moving, "Johnny" reportedly punched Carlo in the shoulder. The punch made Carlo lose his balance, and made him fall on the floor and hit his head.
Due to the nature of his injury, he was declared dead-on-arrival when he was taken to a nearby hospital. Carlo's parents will be filing a complaint against the bully classmate.
What should parents do about bullying?
Bullying comes in many forms. Oftentimes, bullies use words to make other children feel bad. However, in some cases, it can escalate to physical harm, such as what happened to Carlo.
In any case, it's important for parents to know the signs that their child is being bullied, and to know what they can do about it.
- Intervene. If you see your child being bullied by one of their classmates, then you should step in and calmly ask the bully to stop. It's important for your child to know that you're supporting them and that you have their back.
- If your child is the one doing the bullying, talk to them. Try and understand why they're engaging in this sort of behavior; it might be due to their friends in school, or they might have problems that they're scared to tell you. It's important to curb this type of behavior early on, as they will take it with them to adulthood.
- Talk to your child's teacher, and ask them about what you can do to help. Teachers can be very helpful when it comes to helping your child overcome a bully. They can help keep your child safe, and keep an eye on them for you when your child is in school.
- Build a loving home for your child. In cases of bullying, kids usually find refuge in their homes. So creating a loving environment full of support, respect, and understanding is important in helping your child cope.
- Teach them to be safe. They should try and avoid any encounters with the bully, and if needed, they can find an adult who can help them if they feel that they're being bullied too much.
- Build up your child's self-esteem. Being bullied can severely lower your child's self esteem, so you have to make sure that regardless of what they're going through, they should be confident, assertive, and have pride in their positive traits. Self-confidence can make them feel that they can face their bully, and maybe talk things out so that the bully will stop.
Sources: philstar.com, scoop.ph, apa.org, greatschools.org
READ: Infographic: What parents need to know about bullying
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