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Talking Honey Parenting: TV stars get candid about bullying

By 9Honey Parenting|

Whether you're a mum, dad, grandparent or carer, there is no topic more hotly debated than raising kids. Welcome to Talking Honey Parenting.

Bullying would have to be one of the biggest concerns for modern parents. ?

And with the rise of social media ?and mobile phones, the issue not going away.

So, how do we tackle it as parents? What advice do we give our kids? And what do you do if your child is the bully?

Watch our Talking Honey Parenting panel tackle this important issue above.

Talking Honey Parenting: David Campbell, Moana Hope and Jo Abi.
Talking Honey Parenting: David Campbell, Moana Hope and Jo Abi. (Nine)

According to 9Honey writer and mum-of-three Jo Abi, bullying is a huge issue. It's one she has experienced first-hand, particularly with her two sons who have special needs.

"So many kids are bullied in schools?," she explains. "And yet parents are told to help their kids to be more resilient, develop tools and strategies - the onus is on the victim to fix the situation.

"My advice to any parents ?who don't get an adequate outcome from the school when their child is being bullied? Pull them out. Call the Education Department until the situation is dealt with properly. Kids have a right to feel safe at school!

"It broke my heart when it happened to my son."

READ MORE: Controversial advice given to new mum

Moana Hope shared the personal meaning behind her kids Svea and Ahi's names. (Nine)

While former AFLW star Moana Hope's two children are too young to have had contact with any bullying, she has had first-hand experience as the full-time carer of her special needs sister, Lovinia.

"I've already been privy to seeing her being bullied on social media, which is horrible," she explains. "She's had death threats, she's had people make fun of her disability, gets teased about her cross eyes. It's horrible.

"I see it already all the time, and I always think - what happened to that bully that made them a bully? Kids aren't born bullies. And I'm not trying to excuse the behaviour, but I'm just going to make sure my kids know their own worth."

Moana Hope and her sister Vinny
Moana Hope and her sister Vinny (Instagram)

TODAY Extra host David Campbell is also very concerned about bullying.

"It's something you constantly think about as a parent. How do you stop it from happening?" he says. "You don't want it to happen to your child, and you certainly don't want your child to be the bully."

"Even for me, ?it never ended at the school gate. I still have little bits of fear and trauma ?about being bullied at school." ?

?Watch the video in full above

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