Question: How do we tackle an issue as huge and complex as bullying in children? I’d really love to hear a simple answer, because my biggest concern is that we'll never truly get to the bottom of it.

 

As the parent of a child on the cusp of teen life – and with it, more freedom – this issue terrifies me. I want my children to understand their quirks are beautiful, and I want the world to accept them fully. The real kicker is, that’s probably an impossible wish. The hurt, heartache, awkward fumbling and moments of panic as they try to recover from the blow of a shitty comment will happen, and I can't protect them.

 

How are we supposed to bear the fear and pain of our kids? Couldn't we have stopped loving them quite so much by the time they hit the gappy-toothed kids with attitude stage? If only being a parent was that simple. Instead, we love them so much we hurt when they hurt. We want them to be okay, to be happy and safe always – but it's a completely impractical wish because life will inevitably hurl obstacles in their path that no amount of parental love can save them from.

 

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Written by
Laura Belbin

Laura is a content creator whose honest and hilarious social media posts on motherhood, body image and mental health have brought her an audience of more than one million followers. She is also the author of the Sunday Times bestseller, Knee Deep in Life: Wife, Mother, Realist... and Why We're Already Enough. She lives in Portsmouth with her husband, Steve, their two sons and two dogs.

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