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Publication #FAR2003

 

Easing the Teasing1

Diana Converse2

Figure 1. 
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"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." The truth is, words do hurt. At some point, almost all children have to endure teasing from friends, classmates, or siblings.

Some children are more vulnerable to teasing than others and are singled out for frequent teasing by peers.

When a child is very sensitive to it, or the teasing goes on for a period of time, parents can and need to help their children learn to cope with it.

The first step is to find out some specifics about the teasing from your children. Over a few days, keep track of the incidents, looking for what leads to the teasing, what things the child might be doing to encourage the teasing, and if there seems to be a pattern to the teasing.

Because a child's reaction to teasing may reinforce a teaser, one of the best responses is to ignore it. Many teasers quickly give up when they find they have no audience. At other times a quick, unexpected response (as long as it's not teasing back or name calling) will throw a teaser off track. Parents can role-play a teasing scenario with their children to help them develop effective ways to respond.

If the teasing continues and it is going on at school, discuss it with your child's teacher(s). Remember, sticks and stones can break my bones, and destructive words can hurt.

Listening, learning, and living together: it's the science of life. "Family Album" is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, and of WUFT-FM. If you'd like to learn more, please visit our website at http://www.familyalbumradio.org.

To listen to the radio broadcast:

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References

Lew, G.W. (n.d.) Stuttering and teasing. Retrieved April 23, 2007, from http://www.parentpals.com/gossamer/pages/Detailed/632.html.

Zolten, K., & Long, N. Helping children handle teasing. Retrieved April 23, 2007, from http://www.parenting-ed.org/handouts/teasing.pdf [18 September 2012].

Footnotes

1.

This document is FAR2003, one of a series of the Family Youth and Community Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Broadcast as program 301 in 2007. Published on EDIS September 2012. In the interest of time and/or clarity, the broadcast version of this script may have been modified. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Diana Converse, Extension agent III, Hillsborough County, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.