We would prefer that they let a teacher and a counselor know in addition to their parents. If they're afraid of talking to a teacher or someone at school, they need to let their parents know so they can get in touch with us. There are also some things a child can do to help his own situation. If another child is bothering yours, sometimes it pays to be direct from the start. Telling the offending child to just leave them alone can sometimes solve the problem.
Simple avoidance can also work, although sometimes to a limited degree.
Of course, that can only go so far. Sometimes it's not convenient to take a different route or stand by your teachers. And it doesn't always solve the problem. As long as teachers and administrators know about the problem, steps can be taken to defuse the situation, Ingram said. Last year in the fall, we had three or four kids who came in and talked to me to let me know that there were some kids who were pushing them around, picking on them, etc.