Dear Anonymous,

It is very distressing to hear another story of a child being harassed at school. Although it shouldn't surprise me, there are many, many parents posting Just Ask posing similar questions as yours. Whether it is reassuring or not, you and your daughter are not alone. Indeed, current data indicates that 1 in 3 children has reported some form of bullying in the recent past.

Now, what to do about it. If you have not already, it is important to notify your daughter's teacher and school administrators. Discuss the school's bullying policy and learn what school personnel plan to do in the current situation and will do in future situations arise. The current situation is challenging because it comes down to "he-said", "she-said." That said, I think that it is important that this situation, along with past and future incidents of bullying, gets documented. Talk with school personnel about informing adults (e.g., lunch lady, other teachers, etc) on campus about the individuals who are bullying your daughter and where the bullying typically occurs. Once the adults on campus are aware, they can keep an eye out and intervene quickly. Similarly, your daughter should make an effort to have a "buddy" with her during the times in which she is typically "targeted."

Finally, I think that your daughter may need a little extra support these days because of the stress of being bullied. If your daughter is willing, she would benefit from talking with a counselor at school or outside of school to process her feelings around the bullying and develop coping strategies for managing the situation.

Best of luck to you and your daughter.

L. Compian, Ph.D.
Counseling Psychologist
Education.com