Teasing and bullying about appearance can have a lasting impact on kids as they grow up. Research consistently shows that it can cause lower self-esteem, poorer body image, and even depression and anxiety through their teens and early adulthood1,2,3. Teasing and bullying can come from family, and friends, and sometimes ‘jokes’ or ‘harmless banter’ can really affect how kids feel about their body.
What can I do to stop teasing and bullying?
In elementary school kids, research shows that teasing is usually in the form of name calling, and about physical features and appearance2. Teasing and bullying based on looks is most common among classmates and friends, although it’s often done by siblings, too. If you see or hear it happening, it's important to have discussions about how these comments can make others feel, and trying to establish family rules that laughing and joking about appearance is unkind and won’t be tolerated. It’s also equally as important that you model this by not making comments about other people’s appearance in front of your kids.