Although bullying is increasingly becoming an issue of public concern, it remains to be the most underreported issue, especially in schools. It is important to note that, today, bullying occurs more in schools than “on the way to and from there” (van der Ploeg et al. 71). In fact, sometime back, bullying was assumed to be a rite of passage intended at helping young people build their character (Colenbrander, Louise and Bridget 16). However, the issue is now known to have long-term and devastating effects for both the victim and the bully. Statistically, one in every five U.S students aged 12-18 report being bullied during their time at school (“National Bullying Prevention Center”para. 7). While many schools have been at the forefront in trying to prevent bullying, parents have the power to stop it from happening in the first place. The problem, as cited by scholars, revolves around the fact that most of them are their children’s first bullies (Baiden et al. 107). Therefore, parents of bullies should be liable for their children’s activities because besides being highly influential, they possess the power to prevent bullying.
For the purpose of this research, bullying refers to intentional and repeated aggression perpetrated by a person thought to be powerful toward a less powerful victim. In the U.S, bullying is widespread among middle and high school students – about 30 percent of students are involved in bullying (“National Bullying Prevention Center” para. 13). More specifically, 13 percent represent the perpetrators of bullying while 11 percent are the victims (“National Bullying Prevention Center” para. 8). However, much of the available research focuses more on the sociodemographic and the role parenting style in either preventing or facilitating bullying. A recent behavioral study on school-based prevention interventions concluded that parenting style and behavior might influence a child’s bullying (Nocentini et al. 41). However, additional research is required to determine whether parenting style and behavior associated with bullying occur in isolation or are influenced by other community factors.
From the onset, parents have been blamed for being their children’s first bullies. According to Baiden et al. (104), parents who lack effective parenting skills often resort to hostility and aggression as a substitute. Most of them, as elucidated further by the authors, have a poor relationship with their children – they use aggression as a compensation strategy (Baiden et al. 102). It is important to note that aggression, as a parenting style only solves short-term problems, but has long-term consequences. It has a major impact on the way children grow up and deal with the world as adults. The same views were echoed in Ruiz-Hernández et al.’s (41) study, where the authors maintained that aggressive parenting tends to lead children in one oftwo directions. Firstly, kids, as they transition into young adulthood, may become aggressive and abusive because this is what their parents modeled them into. Secondly, children may take the direction of victims because this is the role they play in the family. Overall, aggressive parenting tends to be toxic since it involves the use of threats and punitive punishment to force a child into submission.
Similarly, parents have a huge influence on how their children grow and in the behavior they adopt. In fact, many children tend to mimic the behavior of their parents. Research from Chesworth et al. (222) revealed that “children who live with parents who show violence towards one another are more likely to display bullying behavior towards others.” This research is further supported by Legate et al.’s (399) findings, where children who bully others “report their parents as being unconcerned about others” (399). This shows that parents hold a critical position in their child’s life from the moment they are born. Since behaviors are learned, most kids tend to absorb everything done and said in front of them. For instance, if parents display anti-social behaviors, children will most likely develop the same tendencies. According to Baiden et al.’s (106) research, children who grow up in harsh and aggressive home environments may lack empathy and sympathy. They further added that anti-social behavior, which is a common predictor of bullying, originates from homes that practice punitive discipline.
Parents of bullies should also be liable for their children’s activities because they have more power than anyone else to prevent their children from developing bullying-related behaviors. As elucidated further by Gómez-Ortiz et al., “there is great power in their love, connection, and influence” (25). The authors further observed that parents have the power to mold their children into better adults (Gómez-Ortiz et al. 26). From a Christian worldview, the book of Proverbs reinforces the role of parents in their kids’ upbringing. “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). In fact, the Lord warned parents that if they fail to teach their children about faith, repentance, and baptism, the sin will be theirs to bear (“Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–28”). It is clear that parents have a crucial role in ensuring they follow the right path and redirecting them through love and care whenever they go astray. Ideally, the Biblical role of parents as explicated through Jesus’ ministries is to be a good steward of the children God has placed in their hands.
Furthermore, parents have a responsibility to ensure they learn the meaning and effects of bullying so that they can teach their children the need to treat others the way they wish to be treated. While this seems to be the way to go, many parents delegate this responsibility to teachers. In the end, they fail to pass this vital piece of information to their children. So when they are caught in the act of bullying, who should be blamed? According to Kalman, parents of Shawano, Wisconsin, “can face a fine of $366 if their child bully’s others” (para. 7). The fine can even double in the event the child is caught again in the act of bullying. Immediately after the ruling was rendered, the police started sending hundreds of warning letters to parents, but fines are yet to be implemented. While the ruling might sound controversial, the overriding point is that parents have a role to play in ensuring their children refrain from bullying others.
However, those of the opposing view argue that parents are just but one factor of the equation. There are several other factors besides parenting style that influence a child’s bullying behavior. For instance, Muetzel et al. noted that “they may be lacking in self-confidence and feel a boost when part of a larger crowd of kids who may get their kicks out of bullying others” (69). This boost, as argued further, may compel them to want to experience the same feelings. Scholars also argue that some children have a certain personality that often drives them towards being less compassionate or taking pleasure in hurting others (Muetzel et al. 66). While this might sound true, parents still have an important role in helping children understand the impact of their bullying behavior. In fact, research shows that parenting practices can go a long way to making a difference in whether the child becomes aggressive, bullied – or not. Overall, family relationships help build expectations as well as build strong bonds between parents and children.
In summation, bullying remains to be a major issue of public concern, especially since it is widespread among children. As evidenced above, bullying is common among those aged 12-18 years. While many schools have put in place measures to prevent and reduce its severity, parents are cited as the most group as far bullying is concerned. In fact, parents have a vital role to play in an effort to address the issue – they need to ensure their kids do not bully othersconstantly. Since they have more power than anyone, they can regularly remind their kids of the importance of treating others the way they desire to be treated. As discussed earlier, parents’ great power is embedded in their love, connection, and influence. The Bible also gives them the power to train their children in the way they should go. Similarly, parents have a huge influence on how their children grow and the behavior they adopt. All the above reasons explain why parents of bullies should be held liable for their children’s activities.
Works Cited
Baiden, Philip, et al. “The Toxic Duo: Bullying Involvement and Adverse Childhood Experiences as Factors Associated with School Disengagement among Children.” Children and Youth Services Review, vol. 19, no. 1, 2020, pp. 105-383. Web.
Colenbrander, Laura, Louise Causer, and Bridget Haire. “‘If you can’t make it, you’re not tough enough to do medicine’: a qualitative study of Sydney-based medical students’ experiences of bullying and harassment in clinical settings.” BMC medical education vol. 20, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1-12
Chesworth, Brittney, Paul Lanier, and Cynthia Fraga Rizo. “The Association between Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Child Bullying Behaviors.” Journal of Child and Family Studies, vol. 28, no. 8, 2019, pp. 222-231. Web.
Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–28. Church of Jesus Christ. Web.
Gómez-Ortiz, Olga, et al. “The Role of Family in Bullying and Cyberbullying Involvement: Examining A New Typology of Parental Education Management Based on Adolescents’ View of their Parents.” Social Sciences, vol. 8, no. 1, 2019, pp. 25. Web.
Kalman, Izzy. Can Wisconsin Get Rid of Bullies by Fining Their Parents? Psychology Today. 2019. Web.
Legate, Nicole, Netta Weinstein, and Andrew K. Przybylski. “Parenting Strategies and Adolescents’ Cyberbullying Behaviors: Evidence from A Preregistered Study Of Parent–Child Dyads.” Journal of Youth and Adolescence vol. 48, no. 2, 2019, pp. 399-409. Web.
Muetzel, Ryan L., et al. “Frequent Bullying Involvement and Brain Morphology in Children.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 10, no. 2, 2019, pp. 696. Web.
National Bullying Prevention Center, 2020. Bullying Statistics by the Number. Web.
Nocentini, Annalaura, et al. “Parents, Family Characteristics And Bullying Behavior: A Systematic Review.” Aggression and Violent Behavior, vol. 45, no. 3, 2019, pp. 41-50. Web.
Ruiz-Hernández, José Antonio, et al. “Influence of Parental Styles and other Psychosocial Variables on the Development of Externalizing Behaviors in Adolescents: A Sytematic Review.” The European Journal Of Psychology Applied To Legal Context vol. 10, no. 4, 2019, pp. 69-75. Web.
van der Ploeg, Rozemarijn, Christian Steglich, and René Veenstra. “The way bullying works: How new ties facilitate the mutual reinforcement of status and bullying in elementary schools.” Social Networks, vol. 15, no. 2, 2020, pp. 71-82.