Bullying is a growing problem that has far-reaching effects on both the bullies and the vistims of bullying. Bullies often grow up to become criminals, while their victims may develop low self esteem. It is important for both parents and education officials to be aware of the bullying problem so they can take the necessary steps to prevent it.

Children who begin acting more timid than usual, and display a distant attitude while trying to avoid questions from parents or teachers, or even exhibit a sudden change in behavior--all of these changes can be a strong indication of bullying. Other signs to look for include black eyes, bruises, and a lack of sincere information about how your child received those injuries. Those too indicate the possibility that your child is the victim of a bully. By understanding the warning signs and the nature of bullying, you have a chance to curtail the activity before it has long-reaching consequences for your child and others. This guide will provide tips on how to stop bullying.

• Bullying continues to be a growing problem amongst today's youth, especially with the internet, which provides new and inventive ways to bully using cyberspace. It is important for parents and educators to be aware of bullying and take steps toward ending it, mainly because it can:

1. Lead to future entanglements with the law for those that bully
2. Lower the self esteem and confidence for those that are bullied
3. Encourage negative socializing skills for both the perpetrator and the victim
4. Cause problems at school that may result in skipping classes or being too intimidated to participate in activities outside the classroom

• It is important to recognize the signs of a child being bullied. You should look for:

1. Bruises or black eyes
2. A child's sudden disinterest in being involved in school activities
3. A child that keeps coming up with excuses to not attend school
4. Timid behavior
5. A decrease in self esteem

• In order to properly eradicate bullying, it is important to identify those that are causing the problem. This will allow both parents and administrators as they build a strategy. Also, it will give officials a place to start as they implement programs to put a stop to the problem. Parents, meanwhile, can help their children formulate a plan to avoid these bullies. For more information, see mahalo's guide on how to avoid bullies.

• Spreading awareness is a great way for parents and school officials to get involved in the fight against bullying. You should come up with ways to alert parents of the problem and band together as a community to help end the aggression. Parents can:

1. Encourage their kids to be aware of what they say and write, especially at school
2. Advocate anti bullying week activities in schools and daycare facilities
3. Make certain kids feel like they belong, even if this means tweaking school assignments
4. Match the home environment with the regular, everyday environment that children are subjected to
5. Encourage your children to become successful
6. Try not to pass on biases or prejudices to your children

• By paying attention to the above, you can help encourage your children, and hopefully begin to eliminate the behaviors that result in bullying.

• One of the best ways to stop bullying is to get the school system involved. An individual school or an entire school district can:

1. Encourage positive relationships between school officials and students
2. Protect victims of bullying
3. Implement programs to help counsel those that are caught bullying
4. Provide a support system for those that are bullied
5. Encourage or require school officials to attend workshops on bully prevention