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(4) Bullying in Kindergarten

Does bullying really exist among kindergarten children? The answer is a clearyes.

Research on bullying in kindergarten is still new. Nevertheless, all studies conducted indifferent countries have shown that bullying occurs at approximately the same rate inkindergarten as in elementary school. What may differ are the forms of harassment, butthe general characteristics are similar. The main roles can be described as follows:

Children ho !re Bullies

e can obser"e children# whom we call bullies.They have fun in bullying aspecific peer using a broad range of negative behaviors. These can include hidingshoes, destroying a picture, saying nasty things, refusing to sit beside one of thepeers, or even beating, throwing stones and the like. ullies do not often usephysical means to aggress their victim and seem to be very manipulative, knowingvery well whom they can bully without retaliation, where they can do it

unobserved, and even how to get peers to assist them. These children are awareof social norms and rules, but they have to learn to respect them.

Children ho !re $assi"e %ictims

!tudies show that about "# of kindergarten children can be categori$ed as&assi"e "ictims. These are children who are maltreated by the bully and someother peers %the bully&s assistants' on a regular basis and who do not retaliatewhen attacked. Teachers often tell us that these young victims are very kindchildren. (n our research, we find that these kindergarteners usually share thingsand help their peers. These passive victims also have difficulties saying: )No,

don&t want this*+ urthermore, they play alone more often than other children andhave difficulties making friends, approaching other children, asking peers to play,etc. (t would be of great help for these children to gain more self-confidence insocial relationships.

Children ho !re !ggressi"e %ictims

There are also children who are themselves very aggressive in a peer group, andwho conseuently become victimi$ed. e call them aggressi"e "ictims. Thesechildren are very impulsive and use physical aggression more often than bulliesdo. They seem to lack self-control and react too uickly and aggressively to

provocations or to what they perceive as such. /nd even if they defend themselvesviolently, they cannot stop the bullying. Their impulsiveness is also )used+ by thebullies, who know how to provoke them. These children also seem to lack skillsthat are helpful in finding friends0 they actually have few friends and are not likedby peers.

Children ho !re !ssistants to Bullies

There are also children in the group who do not initiate bullying, but sometimesassist the bullies. They feel that by assisting those kids who harass their peers

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will make them popular in the group. 1owever, they often become victimsthemselves.

Children ho !re itnesses to Bullying

inally, about half of the children in a kindergarten group never bully peers and arenever attacked by peers. !tudies show that these children often feel angry or sadwhen they witness bullyingand sometimes try to help the victim. (n fact, these

children can learn to help victims. This, however, has to be combined with clearlydefined behavior rules in the class. Then, children can learn to tell bullies to stop%indicating that their behavior is )against the rules+' and to get help from theteacher, when the bully does not stop.

hat are the Conse'uences o Bullying at this oung !ge?

2sychosomatic symptoms - 3indergarten children who are harassed by their peershave been reported by parents and teachers to be stressed, to show different

psychosomatic symptoms %for example, headaches', to be afraid of going tokindergarten and to show depressive symptoms.

2eer re4ection - (n studies, we find that bullying among younger children is verysimilar to bullying among school children0 it is a problem that concerns the wholegroup of children in the class as well as the adults %teachers and parents'.3indergarten children like victims much less than non-involved peers and evenbullies. /lso, victims lack friends who could protect them. We know that peerre4ection remains stable for years and has long-lasting negative conseuences forchildren&s well-being and social ad4ustment and also may lead to furthervictimi$ation. 5iven such evidence, it is clear that children who lack friends, whoare not well accepted in the group and who even are victimi$ed need speciaattention and help.

6xperience with the prevention of bullying in kindergarten shows that teachers need todo the following:

irst, they need to learn to make difference between bullying and more typicainterpersonal conflicts between young children, and to recogni$e early andsometimes ambiguous signals of bullying and to do so early.

!econdly, teachers need to understand that early interventions are necessary tostop bullying and that it is necessary to talk with the whole class and discussacceptable and non-acceptable behavior. 7lear and early communication aboutbullying helps children who are victimi$ed %they feel supported and protected' andit helps bullies and their assistants who get a clear picture of what is allowed andwhat is not. (t also contributes to a feeling of security in the whole group, aschildren perceive that they are not left alone in difficult situations.

/lso, parents should be aware of their role as educators and models and communicatethe same attitudes as teachers do.

*ome +m&lications o our Knowledge about Bullying in Kindergarten,

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Bullying is unfair and adults must take it seriously as early as in kindergarten. Be aware of social, indirect, hidden and ambiguous forms of bullying; they already

occur in kindergarten.

Pay attention to symptoms and possible indicators of victimization, likeunwillingness to go to kindergarten, stress or sadness

Listen to children when they report on trivial daily hassles that seem to upset

them. !t may be one of many hassles. "alk with the children about good and bad things happening in the kindergarten

group.

"alk about the unfairness of bullying and provide children with alternativebehaviors

"each children to say no#

$ive children an opportunity to feel competent

$ive children who feel insecure in situations with peers some social training

%se teaching methods and games that enhance integration of all children

&ncourage children who are not involved in bullying to intervene when theywitness such situations. "hey may be trained to tell the bully to stop, to ask theteacher to help or to include the victim in play situations.

'iscussion:

8. (s bullying in kindergarten different from bullying in primary or secondary school9

. What are the typical roles among kindergarten children in relation to bullying9

;. What conseuences do the victims of bullying suffer9id you experience bullying in kindergarten9 /nd later9