Bullying causes and prevention strategies for parents

Eglė Tamulionytė, coordinator of the ‘Be patyčių’ campaign, explains the complex reasons behind why children bully or hurt their peers. She notes that children may cause harm unintentionally or as a way to cope with intense internal emotions such as anger, disappointment, helplessness, or fear, which they have not yet learned to express constructively.

Environmental factors also play a significant role. Bullying can be used to gain social status, attention, or to avoid becoming an outcast within hierarchical peer groups. Tamulionytė highlights that children observe how adults resolve conflicts and may adopt aggressive behaviors if they see them modeled. In digital spaces, the line between joking and malicious harassment often blurs, making it harder for children to grasp the weight of their actions.

To address these issues, experts recommend calm communication. Parents are advised to set clear boundaries and express that while they understand a child's feelings, hurtful behavior is unacceptable. Asking open-ended questions about the context of an incident can help identify the underlying causes.