Teaching Kids Kindness and How to Respond to Bullying

We want our kids to be kind: to include the lonely kid, stand up for someone being picked on, and treat others the way Jesus would. We also want to protect them if they're the ones being hurt. Here's how to raise kind kids, and what to do when bullying happens.

The foundation of kindness

Ephesians 4:32: "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another."

1 Samuel 16:7: "For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."

Teach kids that every person is made in God's image and deserves respect, especially those who are different, new, or alone.

Raising kind kids

• Model kindness in how you talk about and treat others.
• Teach inclusion: "Look for the kid sitting alone."
• Practice empathy: "How do you think they felt?"
• Celebrate kind choices more than achievements.
• Read stories about kindness, like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10).

Speak up for others

Proverbs 31:8: "Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction."

In other words, speak up for those who can't speak for themselves. Teach kids that standing up for someone being bullied, or telling an adult, is brave and right.

If your child is being bullied

• Listen calmly. Thank them for telling you.
• Reassure them: "This isn't your fault. You don't deserve this."
• Get details: who, what, when, and where.
• Contact the school or organization right away, and keep records.
• Teach safe responses: walk away, stay near friends, tell an adult.
• For online bullying, save evidence, block, and report.
• Remind them who they are in God.
• Get support from a counselor if it's affecting their mood, sleep, or school.

If your child is the one bullying

It's hard to hear, but it's an important moment to respond well:

• Stay calm and take it seriously.
• Find out what's going on underneath: insecurity, peer pressure, or their own hurt.
• Set clear consequences.
• Help them make it right with a sincere apology.
• Teach empathy, and pray together.

Identity is the best protection

Kids who know they're loved and chosen by God are less likely to bully and better able to stand firm when bullied. Faith-filled kids' apparel and a backpack with a message of who they are can be quiet daily reminders.

A prayer

Lord, make my children kind. Help them notice the lonely and stand up for the hurting. Protect them from bullying, and give them courage to tell us when something is wrong. Let them know they are loved by You. Amen.