To detect bullying, parents should know who kids hang out with

Just because school has started doesn't mean bullying has to start, too, a U.S. health official says. Dr. George Askew, of the US Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, has some suggestions about how parents can help when their children say they are being bullied. "Listen to them. Try to know who their friends are. I know that's much easier said than done," Askew says in a statement. "But really be actively engaged in who they are hanging out with and whether they are hanging out with anyone or are they alone -- and if they are alone is that by choice or because they are being excluded.'' All children should know bullying is unacceptable -- and how to get help, Askew says. Askew also says it's important for adults to model how to treat others with kindness and respect.