How do I stop my kid from being bullied?

- A response to questions from Quora.com 2020

The thought of your child getting bullied stirs up an array of emotions for any parent: anger, fear, anxiety, an overwhelming need to protect.

However, the first step in helping your child is get control of your emotions, and to recognize that at some point throughout the entirety of your child’s life they will come in contact with a bully; you have no control over this.

In fact, focus on the silver lining. What will your child gain by coming in contact with a bully?

Take a look at Elon Musk’s biography , he explains that he was tremendously bullied at school. Although he suffered and faced many difficulties, his biggest success was that he did not victimize himself and learned his true strengths. Elon attributes his very successful life to the adversities he faced in childhood, and even made a statement that he fears his son’s don’t face enough adversity; this is even after the relentless bullying he suffered in childhood.

So what’s the point? We should be thankful for the bullies of the world? No, we should recognize they exist and we need to prepare our children for them.

Explain to your child what a bully is and why they bully: such as taking advantage of others, name calling, doing hurtful things, causing harm, etc.