Why a Preschooler May Turn Into a Bully

Bullying is a habit that is not only evident in some school-age children but can also be witnessed in preschoolers. Children as young as two to four years of age can indulge in intentionally aggressive behavior targeted at a particular child to assert strength and superiority and to get what they want. It may be hard to believe for a parent to that their child could be a bully. Yet, if you suspect that your child may be exhibiting bullying behavior, it would be far more effective for you to accept and try to remedy the situation than to disbelieve it.

A preschooler who resorts to threats or physically aggressive behavior to be domineering is likely to be suffering from social or emotional challenges. These challenges may stem from an unhealthy environment at home, from observing similar behavior around them or from a lack of negotiation skills.

Let us try to get into the mind of a bully and find out how it may work.

The reasons why a preschooler may resort to bullying

• May be unable to cope in a social setting

If a child is not able to negotiate and solve problems when dealing with their peers, they may resort to the use of verbal or physical aggression to get their way. The solution lies in teaching children how to communicate their wants, needs and feelings in a constructive manner.

The responsibility lies with parents as well as preschool teachers to teach the child the need to respect others while being assertive about what one wants.

•  May have a low self-esteem

Children as young as 2-4 years of age can suffer from a feeling of “not being good enough”. This may prompt in them the desire to seek attention and express their strength and superiority through bullying their peers.

A child’s low self-esteem may result from frequent and severe scoldings from parents or teachers and/or from a lack of emotional support at home or school. To curb the child from indulging in bullying to make themselves feel better, it is essential that you provide them with a warm and nurturing environment that does not incur in them the need to seek attention through such negative behaviors.

•   May be modeling adult behavior

Children are quite impressionable, especially in the age group to which a preschooler belongs. If an adult displays aggressive behavior in front of them or even with them, in order to get their demands met, the child may seek to emulate that behavior. It is imperative for adults to model the behavior they’d like the child to adopt.

If your child seems to be a bully, it is advisable that you focus on building in them a sense of respect and empathy towards the people around them. Enrolling them at a preschool that gives importance to inculcating necessary social and emotional skills in a growing child is yet another step that you can take to ensure that your child grows up to be a considerate individual. Several preschools in New York City provide a curriculum that promotes the development of social intelligence in preschoolers.