When your child is being hurt by other children, you need more than "just ignore it".
Perhaps your child has come home quieter than usual, or suddenly doesn't want to go to school. Perhaps they've told you, in tears at bedtime, that nobody will play with them. Or perhaps you simply sense something isn't right and want to be ready.
Strength and Compassion Training for Your Child is a warm, practical guide for parents and carers of primary school children. It is built on one simple idea: children cope best with bullying when they have both strength, to stand up for themselves, set limits and ask for help, and compassion, for themselves and for others, so hurtful experiences don't harden into shame, anger or fear.
Wellbeing and Resilience Coach Jacqui Van de Velde draws on Australian research and years of work with families to show you how to:
recognise the different types of bullying, including cyberbullying, and tell them apart from ordinary friendship bumps
build your child's confidence, emotional intelligence and assertiveness
practise real-life responses through role-play, scripts and games
raise an upstander who includes others and speaks up safely
work calmly and effectively with your child's teacher and school
notice signs of distress and know when to seek professional help
create a home that feels safe, connected and on your child's side
Every chapter includes Key point boxes, Try this activities you can use straight away, and a solution-focused reflection journal that helps you notice what's already working and choose one small, realistic next step. You'll also find a copy-ready incident record for school meetings and a list of trusted Australian support services.
You don't need to have all the answers. Small, steady steps add up to real change for your child, and this book shows you where to start.
This book is general information and is not a substitute for professional advice.
When your child is being hurt by other children, you need more than "just ignore it".
Perhaps your child has come home quieter than usual, or suddenly doesn't want to go to school. Perhaps they've told you, in tears at bedtime, that nobody will play with them. Or perhaps you simply sense something isn't right and want to be ready.
Strength and Compassion Training for Your Child is a warm, practical guide for parents and carers of primary school children. It is built on one simple idea: children cope best with bullying when they have both strength, to stand up for themselves, set limits and ask for help, and compassion, for themselves and for others, so hurtful experiences don't harden into shame, anger or fear.
Wellbeing and Resilience Coach Jacqui Van de Velde draws on Australian research and years of work with families to show you how to:
recognise the different types of bullying, including cyberbullying, and tell them apart from ordinary friendship bumps
build your child's confidence, emotional intelligence and assertiveness
practise real-life responses through role-play, scripts and games
raise an upstander who includes others and speaks up safely
work calmly and effectively with your child's teacher and school
notice signs of distress and know when to seek professional help
create a home that feels safe, connected and on your child's side
Every chapter includes Key point boxes, Try this activities you can use straight away, and a solution-focused reflection journal that helps you notice what's already working and choose one small, realistic next step. You'll also find a copy-ready incident record for school meetings and a list of trusted Australian support services.
You don't need to have all the answers. Small, steady steps add up to real change for your child, and this book shows you where to start.
This book is general information and is not a substitute for professional advice.
