For most teens, going back to school means sharing classrooms and a building with many other students. Sadly, many of these teenagers will be teased inappropriately. Teasing is defined as ridiculing or otherwise harassing another person, with or without intent to humiliate. Teasing can go beyond the merely embarrassing to something truly nasty.



"Easing the Teasing" by Judy S. Freedman has been found useful for helping adults and children deal with teasing. The book's focus is entirely on how parents can help their children deal with the problems that teasing can bring. Some of the suggested strategies can also be used successfully with teens so it's definitely a recommended title for parents and educators to peruse. This article does not have enough space to cover the effective coping mechanisms Freedman describes. This article is instead intended to make it clear to parents that teasing is a real problem that schools need to deal with for their children's sake. This should allow parents, children, and school personnel to work together to solve any teasing problems.

Since elementary school classes have fewer children than secondary school classes, they are usually better able to quickly deal with teasing problems. That is certainly not to say that secondary schools are ignoring the problem. Home room teachers, other faculty, and police and law enforcement personnel can all help to emphasize the behavior that is required of students at secondary schools. Many schools electronically track student misbehavior, especially the more severe breaches of school rules. Secondary schools also have meetings to discuss behavioral and other problems for each grade level. The main challenge in most secondary schools however, is that each teacher typically instructs over a hundred students daily so it's understandably difficult to monitor, document and discuss student behavior with colleagues on a consistent basis.

Parents who notice a sudden change in their teen's behavior should consider contacting the school counselor and home room teacher to investigate whether or not the student is having trouble at school. It is important to note that even if a student consistently earns good grades, all may not be going well for the young scholar; they may have other challenges at school. Parents need to talk with their child regularly to discern subtler signs of teasing problems. Teasing is usually annoying, and often worse... sometimes much worse. Bullying comes in many forms, including teasing. Suicides occasionally result from prolonged teasing; more frequently, low self-esteem and depression can occur. Teasing, like other harassment, should not be ignored! even if it is supposedly "playful," and certainly not if meant to humiliate.