Having been them ourselves, we all know how cruel children can be. Compound this with a parent’s lack of knowledge and fear about head lice and you have a pretty toxic combination. You have a situation in which your child may blame him or herself for the presence of these parasites which can be present in anyone’s head. Here are some effective strategies to help your child overcome the mockery, and bounce back with a resilient mindset after he or she has been discovered to have head lice.
- Be there for your child: If your child is being teased simply take her aside and listen to her. Listen closely and let her know that you are support her emotionally as your child. Most importantly, let her know that there is nothing wrong with her and that head lice can affect anyone – young or old, male or female, rich or poor. This will help foster a strong relationship with your child and will increase your child’s self image.
- Don’t dismiss your child’s feelings: While it is acceptable to tell your child that head lice is a problem that can be defeated and that is not their fault, you should not ignore their feelings about being isolated from his peers. Respect how they feel and remember that their sense of self if not yet fully developed.
- Don’t tell your child to retaliate: An eye for an eye only leaves both parties half blind. Teach your child to take the high road. This way he may even end up enlightening those who are tormenting him.
- Tell him to contact a teacher: Let your child know that he can report bullying/teasing to the adults who are in charge of the school. It is their job to keep children safe from harm be it emotional or physical.
Obviously, it’s no fun being teased no matter how old you are. However, as adults at least our sense of self is usually developed well enough to handle this kind of ridicule. For children it is quite another thing. Head lice are nothing to be ashamed of. It is a condition to be addressed but not with panic or cruelty. Know that you can take your child to our head lice removal salon if he or she shows signs for an infestation. Also, know that our solution to the problem is natural head lice removal that is safe and effective.