I can't begin to imagine how upset I would be if someone in my family was bullied. Anger, frustration, confusion, guilt and the flood of other emotions make for a toxic cocktail that is not conducive to a good response. Still, you are going to feel what you are going to feel and that's normal. What's not ideal is when your response makes things worse - either for yourself, your bullied loved one, or both.

The best time to figure out how to respond to bullying is BEFORE it happens. Learn the facts, set realistic expectations, develop a network, and have a plan.

Here are a few helpful links:

https://www.stopbullying.gov/index.html

http://www.violencepreventionworks.org/public/index.page

http://lifehacker.com/what-to-do-if-your-child-is-experiencing-racist-bullyin-1788843727

Next post Saturday, 6:30 a.m.