Parent/Caregiver Module

Educator Module

Welcome to the LifeSkills Training E-Learning Module for Parents and Caregivers!

Your child’s school is implementing LifeSkills Training, an evidence-based prevention program proven to reduce unhealthy behaviors while increasing prosocial behaviors among children, adolescents, and young adults.

The learning objectives for this module include:

Identify the most common types and roles in bullying situations
Understand how to apply the 3Rs strategy, Recognize, Respond, and Report, to bullying incidents
Teach children how to be responsible and safe digital citizens
Teach children how to safely intervene in bullying situations
Learn tips for fostering open communication

Bullying is repeatedly using harmful words, images, or actions to hurt someone on purpose.

Bullying is a serious public health concern that affects all communities, as evidenced by several key findings:

Research from national studies indicate that bullying is prevalent even among elementary school students.
Boys are more likely to engage in physical bullying, whereas girls are more likely to engage in some forms of social bullying.
Both boys and girls engage in verbal bullying and cyberbullying.

In 2023-2024, nearly half (45%) of elementary-aged children reported being bullied, picked on, or excluded in the past year.
These statistics show that bullying is common even at a young age, underscoring the importance of intervening early.

The most common type of bullying; it includes saying or writing things that are hurtful. Calling someone mean names, teasing them about their appearance, or making hurtful comments are all examples of verbal bullying.

This type of bullying is highly visible but less frequent; it involves harming someone or their property. Hitting, pushing, or destroying another person's personal belongings are all examples.

This common type of bullying involves harming someone's reputation or relationships. Spreading rumors, excluding someone, or encouraging others to do the same are all examples of social bullying.

A rapidly growing type of bullying that involves using digital technology to send threatening or hurtful messages, spread rumors online, or share embarrassing or unflattering content. It can be anonymous, shared with a wide audience, and pervasive.

Select which situations involve bullying.

Two students have a loud disagreement about a TV show.

Try Again. Disagreements are not necessarily bullying.
One student always calls a friend mean names, but then says they are kidding.

Correct. This is bullying; it is done intentionally and repeatedly to hurt someone.
Two students laughing at someone who slipped on a banana.

Try Again. This might be insensitive, but it’s not bullying.
A group of girls regularly punches the younger students in the back on their way to lunch.

Correct. This is bullying; it is done intentionally and repeatedly to hurt someone.

There are four common roles in bullying incidents:

Bully
Target
Bystander
Defender

A child’s behavior does not define who they are as a person.

It’s also important to know that a child can take one role in one situation and a completely different role in another situation.

A Bully may engage in this behavior for any number of reasons, including:

Desire for status: They may enjoy being "looked up to" or having a sense of power.
Lack of empathy: They may not care about or understand the feelings of others.
Difficulty with emotional regulation: They may lack the skills to manage negative emotions like anger and frustration.

A Target is the person or group on the receiving end of the bullying. Children who are Targets may possess any of the following characteristics:

Social tendencies: They may be shy or anxious around others or have fewer friends.
Appearance: They may be perceived as being "different" from others.
Health conditions: Students with visible physical disabilities or chronic illnesses are frequently targeted.

A Bystander is someone who witnesses the incident, but does not address it, for reasons including:

The "Bystander Effect": Situations in which people feel less responsibility to act because others aren't doing anything to help either.
Retribution: They may fear being excluded or becoming a Target themselves.
Misinterpretation: Children may not recognize bullying if it is subtle or disguised as “play.”

A Defender knows what to do when he or she sees someone being bullied and takes action to help. Children who are Defenders are likely to have the following characteristics:

Strong Moral Compass: They believe that bullying is wrong and feel a responsibility to help others.
Empathetic: They can identify with the feelings of the Target.
Self-efficacy: They feel confident that their actions will improve the situation.
Strong Support Systems: They have parents and teachers who model and reward Defender behavior.

Select the characteristics most likely to predict which children will become Defenders.

Growing up in an environment where parents and teachers model supportive behavior.

Correct. Children whose parents and teachers model empathy are more likely to become a Defender.
Being shy and anxious around others and having fewer friends.

Try Again. Children who are shy and anxious are less likely to become a Defender.
Desire to be popular and protect one’s social status.

Try Again. Children who are overly concerned about their social status are less likely to become a Defender.
Lacking empathy and failing to understand the feelings of others.

Try Again. Children who lack empathy are less likely to become a Defender.

As a parent, you are the first to notice changes in your child’s behavior, emotions, and relationships.

There are often telltale signs that a child may be affected by bullying. Three steps you can take to help prevent and stop bullying are Recognize, Respond, and Report.

Look out for sudden changes in your child’s behavior, physical health, or emotional state. Signs your child is being bullied or bullying others include:

Frequent headaches and/or stomachaches
Sudden loss of friends
Loss of interest in favorite activities
Frequent fighting
Lack of empathy for others
Poor emotional regulation

If you think your child is being bullied or bullying others, it’s important to talk to them about it.

If your child is a Target of bullying, it is important to respond with support and reassurance. You can offer support by:

Listen and Validate: Talk with your child and acknowledge their feelings. Let them know that the incident is not their fault.
Prioritize Safety and Resilience: Help your child cope with the situation and identify effective ways to respond if bullying occurs again.
Reassure them: Acknowledge that they did the right thing by telling you. Let them know that you will help resolve the situation.

If your child is bullying others, there are steps you can take to help them understand the impact of their behavior and make positive changes, including:

Teach Accountability: Talk with your child to understand what happened and help them take responsibility for their actions.
Anti-bullying Message: Let your child know that bullying is serious and is unacceptable.
Address the Behavior: Work together to find constructive ways to handle difficult emotions that might trigger bullying (e.g., joining a team sport or a club).
Foster Empathy: Help your child understand the impact of their actions on the Target.

Report the incident by doing the following:

Notify the School: Inform the school about the incident to ensure that it is addressed.
Document: With your child, create a written record of the incident, focusing on objective observations. In cases of cyberbullying, save screenshots or recordings to support the school's investigation.
Follow-up: Check in regularly with your child to ensure that the behavior has stopped.

At dinner, your child says that a group of students has been teasing them about their haircut every day. Select the best ways to respond:

Tell your child to ignore the situation and it will go away on its own.

Try Again. These situations never just go away on their own. Bullies will always find new ways to bully.
Inform school officials about the incidents to ensure that the situation is being addressed.

Correct. Informing school officials is crucial to addressing and stopping the behavior.
Discuss and practice with your child effective ways to respond if the teasing happens again.

Correct. Practicing response strategies with your child gives them the tools and confidence to address the bullying if it continues.
Offer to give them a new haircut so the teasing stops.

Try Again. Changing your child's haircut is unlikely to stop the bullying.

When children witness bullying, they often don’t intervene because they are unsure how to respond. You can empower your child to be a Defender and safely intervene by practicing the following strategies.

Speak Up

Encourage your child to use a firm voice to directly address bullying.

Example: “That’s not nice. Stop saying that.”

Distract

If your child wants to help but does not want to confront the Bully directly, they can cause a distraction, for example by:

Making noise to signal to other people that the Target needs help.
- Example: Yelling something loudly, like, “Hey, stop that! You’re hurting them!”
Making a joke to distract the Bully.
- Example: “Hey, did you hear the one about the hamburgers who went to a dance? … They went to a meat-ball!”
Changing the subject to take attention away from the Target.
- Example: “Did you see the game last night?”

Be a Friend

Stand or sit next to the Target to let them know you’re there to support them.

Example: “You can sit with me at lunch.”

Leave the Situation

If it’s not safe to intervene, encourage them to leave the situation immediately and seek help from a trusted adult.

Jack sees a classmate, Dylan, punching another classmate, Miles. What is the safest Defender skill Jack can use in this situation?

Distract by making a joke about the weather.

Try Again. In violent situations, always go get help from a teacher or another adult at school.
Be a friend and stand near Miles to let them know he’s there to help.

Try Again. In violent situations, always go get help from a teacher or another adult at school.
Speak up by telling Dylan to stop.

Try Again. In violent situations, always go get help from a teacher or another adult at school.
Leave the situation and get help from a teacher or school aide.

Correct. Leaving and getting help from an adult is the safest skill to use in this situation.

As a parent or caregiver, you are your child’s best guide for building safe digital habits. As their digital world expands, it’s vital that they learn to minimize the risk of harm in online environments. You can help them safely navigate the digital world by establishing these “ground rules” for technology use.

Explain to your child that they should never share their full name, home address, phone number, or school name online.

Talk with your child about how they should only interact with individuals that you have given them permission to talk to.

Set a clear expectation that if they encounter anything online that confuses or upsets them, they should tell you right away.

Discuss with your child how anything they post or comment online is permanent. Remind them to be thoughtful and kind when interacting with others.

Encourage your child to come to you if they notice or experience mean or hurtful behavior online.

Regularly check in about the games they play or the videos they enjoy watching. When digital life is part of everyday conversation, children are more likely to seek support when they encounter something confusing or unkind online.

Maya posts a mean comment about someone online and later deletes it. At dinner, she tells her parents about what she did. Which of the following Digital “Ground Rules” should her parents reinforce?

Anything you post online is permanent, so it’s important to be kind and thoughtful.

Correct. It’s important to be thoughtful and kind when interacting with others online.
It’s okay to post something online because once you delete it, it’s no longer there.

Try Again. Posting online leaves a digital footprint.
Tell her she is no longer allowed to play online games.

Try Again. Punishment may not always be the right response.
Explain that it’s okay to post mean comments as long as she doesn’t know the person.

Try Again. Posting mean things about people we don’t know is wrong.

Talking regularly with your child is important. Open communication helps build trust.

Here are a few tips to foster open communication with your child:

Make a point of talking with your child every day.
Plan your day so conversations happen regularly and without devices.
Encourage your child to ask you questions.
Ask your child their opinion.

Strong communication and trust are built through active listening. When talking with your child:

Listen carefully, and wait for them to finish talking before responding.
Avoid reacting quickly. Take a moment to think about what they said before responding.
Acknowledge and validate how your child is feeling.
Maintain eye contact with your child while they’re talking to you.
Minimize distractions like phones and screens to stay fully present.

Which approach is most likely to encourage open communication?

Reacting immediately to everything to show a sense of urgency.

Try Again. It’s better to react with calmness and thoughtfulness.
Waiting until an issue comes up to have serious talks.

Try Again. Regular communication makes it easier for children to open up when problems arise.
Involving everyone in the conversation–grandparents, siblings, sitters, teachers.

Try Again. One-on-one conversations are usually better than group conversations.
Taking a moment to think about what they said before responding.

Correct. Taking a simple pause is a great way to connect and communicate effectively.

Congratulations on completing this module! As a parent or caregiver, your role is key to bullying prevention. By creating a safe and supportive environment, you can help prevent bullying and encourage your child to thrive.