Can boosting EQ protect tweens from bullying?

Any bullying activity involves 3 parties: the bully, the victim, and the bystander. Childhood instances of bullying leave a deep and lasting negative effect on all 3 parties. Today we want to focus on how raising the emotional quotient for 10 to 12 year olds can protect them from bullying.  

What happens in school bullying cases? 
Children deal with a lot of strong emotions such as anxiety, aggression and hatred as they try to get better than their peers at everything. Any trouble they might have in their personal or family life also comes out in reactions at school. Bullying is one such negative reaction. It can be physical or verbal aggression, ostracism of the victim among peer groups, or online abuse. Once a pattern is set, a bully, victim and their audience all find it tough to break out from it.  

How are bullying and EQ related?  
An understanding of emotional intelligence and how it works protects kids from depression, anxiety, and aggression. It also equips them to face bullying by recognising and managing their own emotions, and finally, by reaching out for help. Teaching emotional intelligence is possible, and a graded course results in a child with stronger mental health. This is particularly true for tweens. They are more mature than children, and less rigid than teens. Since tweens are good receptors of EQ courses, it can help them fight bullying.  

How does EQ help to battle bullying? 
EQ helps tweens to recognise emotions in themselves and others, understand the root of the emotion, label them, anticipate and regulate reactions, and troubleshoot the situation to reduce conflicts. An emotionally aware tween has the maturity to stop his own bullying tendency, advice peers who practice it, and take care of the victim. Attending an EQ course teaches them how to deal with a tricky situation without becoming victimised themselves.  

Can EQ help all parties to a bullying scene? 
Yes. The bully realises that the behaviour is not helping. Most bullies are cowards. EQ classes teach them to tackle the real problem instead of taking it out on a weakling. Victims learn how to avoid or constructively manage bullies. And bystanders learn that watching from a distance is not okay, they need to take positive action to stop or at least, divert matters.