How can we end the cycle of bullying?

The current contest for presidential candidates has left me wondering about bullying. What do we know about bullying and why is it an accepted part of the political and public arena?

Interestingly, in May 2015, the American Psychological Association published a special edition reviewing 40 years of research on the topic, following a 2011 U.S. White House Conference on bullying. In the overview, bullying is defined as “a subcategory of interpersonal aggression characterized by intentionality, repetition, and an imbalance of power, with the abuse of power being the primary distinction between bullying and other forms of aggression.”

Negative thoughts about oneself predict both bullying and victimization. We know that self-esteem and beliefs about the world begin with the earliest relationships, particularly the relationships between parents and infants and toddlers. Parents, too, can bully when they use mocking or disparaging words (For example, words like “You dummy.”) to their children or keep control through intimidation (“If you don’t clean your plate, I’m going to make you sorry.”) Children who are bullied at home tend to be bullied at school as well — or to become bullies themselves.

As I read and watch today’s political news, I wonder: What does it mean for children when their parents support and vote for a bully?

Bio: Dr. Terrie Rose is a leader in the field of early childhood development and emotional readiness. She is an author, speaker, trainer and an Ashoka Fellow, who has developed a childcare model and curriculum for infants and toddlers to ensure emotional readiness.