A Guide to Student Interactions for Parents

IS it Bullying?

At Lawrence Avenue, we are committed to fostering the social, emotional, and academic growth of all students. We recognize that social interactions are important learning opportunities for students, providing them with the chance to build essential life skills such as empathy, communication, and conflict resolution. 

The following chart is intended to help parents better understand the differences between common types of social interactions among students, including Meanness or Bluntness, Conflict, and Bullying. By clarifying the characteristics, examples, and recommended responses for each type of behavior, this chart serves as a helpful resource for parents to support positive social experiences at school and home.

Meanness/Bluntness	Conflict	Bullying
Meanness/Bluntness is when someone says or does something hurtful, but it only happens occasionally or isn’t part of a bigger pattern. It’s not friendly, but it’s not bullying if it’s not repeated or meant to take control over someone.	A disagreement or argument between two or more students where everyone involved has equal power to solve the problem and is not trying to hurt the other on purpose.	Bullying is repeated, intentional behavior where one child is using power (like size, popularity, or confidence) to hurt, scare, or control another child.
Examples: A student says, “You’re not good at soccer.” A child tells another, “You can’t come to my birthday party.” Someone laughs and says, “You look weird in those glasses.”	Examples: Two students argue over who goes first in a game. A student says something that hurts another’s feelings, but didn’t mean to. Friends get mad at each other and stop talking for a day.	Examples: A group of kids keeps calling a student names every day at recess. A student repeatedly takes another child’s seat at lunch and tells them they can’t sit with the group. One child always tells others not to play with a certain classmate.
Key Points: One-time or not repeated Intentional but not ongoing Meant to hurt someone’s feelings, not to gain power Still needs to be addressed and talked about	Key Points: Happens occasionally Not one-sided Can usually be resolved with adult help, problem-solving, and listening	Key Points: It’s on purpose It happens more than once There’s an imbalance of power The target feels unsafe or helpless It needs adult intervention