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Dear Parents,

You are the greatest influence in the life of your child.

Research proves time and again your voice is the loudest in their life which provides a great opportunity for you to make a forever impact in the life of your child.

It is also a great opportunity for me to partner with you and cheer you on in the process. For that reason, I am sending you a four to five-minute video that will encourage you about parenting.

[Video Link Goes Here]

I chose to do this online instead of asking you to come to the church for meetings because I respect the fact that you have a very busy schedule. Through this video, you can receive some quick encouragement, even in your pajamas!

It is my great honor to serve your family and to cheer you on as you lead your child spiritually! If you have any requests for prayer, please feel free to reply to this email.

Partnering With You,

[Insert Name Here]

P.S. I plan to post parent encouragements from our social media, so make sure to follow us on _____ & ______.

Step Two: Email 2

Topic: What do I do when my child is being bullied?

Thanks, parents for joining us for our online parenting class here at ParentMinistry.Net for Kids! This month we are going to tackle an issue that I am betting is going to bring back some wild memories for some of you. The question that we are going to tackle this month is: What do I do when my child is being bullied?

Think back right now and think about your first bully experience. If you are like me it is really not hard to remember. My first bully experience came in 7th grade with a guy in several of my classes named Ben. Ben was taller than me, better looking than me, more popular than me, and also used to getting his way. I was new to the school and because I was a class clown I became a target of this guy. For months he made my life pretty miserable. Thinking about what he might do next dominated my thoughts for months until finally, I stood up to him and like most bullies, he backed down.

I was a 7th-grade middle schooler and these few months left a definite mental scar. I was old enough to work through it but think about how your k-5th grader will handle the same situation. What will they do? How will they respond? Will they ask for help? Here is the question most parents want to know…what should we do as mom or dad?

The truth is that when our kids face a bully they feel helpless. If we were honest when our kids face this kind of situation many of us feel those same emotions. We feel alone and wonder why our kids have to face this. The first step to helping your child confront this issue is to realize you are not alone. Research reveals that…

1 out of 4 kids is bullied.

77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally, & physically. Cyberbullying statistics are rapidly approaching similar numbers, with 43% experiencing cyberbullying.

1 in 5 students admit to being a bully, or doing some “Bullying.” Each day 160,000 students miss school for fear of being bullied. 43% of kids fear harassment in the bathroom at school.

As a parent, you are not alone and you can help your child face this with confidence. Yes, it is a challenge but you and your child can face this head-on. One of the key elements to helping your child deal with a bully is helping them have confidence.

The first step to help your child face a bully is to remind them that you will do everything you can to stand with them. They need to know they are not alone! Not only are you with them but this is an amazing chance to remind them that God is with them.

In the Bible, we find a leader named Joshua who was facing the hardest challenge of his life and God told him these words we can help our kids embrace. God told Joshua…

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

This may be the first time your child has to ask God to give them courage! As a parent, you can help them see that God is with them even in this challenge, what an amazing lesson to pass on to your kids!

The second step to take is to work with your child to develop a game plan to handle the problem. Fighting back is not always the answer but standing strong always is key to facing a bully. Kids can stand strong when they have a plan to follow. The plan may involve talking with a school counselor. It may be a plan for your child to walk away confidently from the bully and tell them to stop. It might be asking some of their friends to watch out for this problem and stand together. You may need to alert some other adults to be on the lookout for what has been happening. Every situation is different but giving your kid a plan will give them the confidence to find a solution.

Remember, this is your moment to show your child how to handle an issue they will face for the rest of their lives. We are all adults and we all know bullies that have grown up and continued to bully. Show your kids the way to stand now so they know what do later when they face it all again.

Later this month be looking for our next online class email where we will help you process clues to watch for when your child might be facing a bully and some steps to help your kid know how to respond to the bully.