Whatever the age of the child it is important to remember that bullying is never harmless fun and, however inconsequential the bullying may seem to an adult, if it is upsetting the child it needs to be dealt with.

Children need to be encouraged from an early age to deal with bullying and discriminatory attitudes and it is the duty of the adults to support them.

Many young children can make hurtful remarks, often unintentionally, such as commenting on a disability or making remarks about the way someone speaks or dresses. Discriminatory remarks made by a child are often a result of the way they have been taught and it is important that adults do not instil their own prejudices on children.

Bullying in younger children can often be dealt with by carefully explaining to the child that what they have said or done is not nice and is causing distress. You can try:-

• Explaining to the child that what they have said is hurtful and inappropriate.

• Correcting any misconceptions and give the child age appropriate information. For example a child who makes a hurtful remark about a blind person or a disabled person should have the disability explained to them to help them to better understand that person’s circumstances.

Sibling rivalry is another form of bullying and this can be very stressful to a child, particularly if the parent inadvertently encourages it. By saying something along the lines of “Oh, look how clumsy you are Katie, I wish you could be more careful like your sister” for example can fuel sibling rivalry and make a child feel useless. Likewise comparing children is a mistake that many parents often make and, if an older child is academically clever this can have a massive impact on a younger sibling to try to be like their elder, resulting in them continually striving to achieve something that may be out of their reach. Remember that children are unique. Each child has their own personality and we should never compare them.