1. Listen before you fix it
Ask what happened, who was there, and what the kid did next. Do not start with a speech. The first job is to hear the actual story, not the one you are afraid of.
2. Name the behavior, not a villain
“He shoved my bag” is useful. “He’s a bully” is a costume. Name what happened so the child can say it again to a teacher without turning the whole kid into a cartoon.
3. Ask what they want from you
Some kids want you to call the school. Some want you to practice a sentence. Ask. Then do that thing, not the thing that would make you feel like a better parent.
4. Pick one move for Monday
A seat change. A teacher who already knows. A sentence they can say and then walk. One move. Not a personality overhaul before breakfast.
5. Check the quieter bully too
Sometimes the loud kid is only half the story. The voice that says “you deserved it” is still bullying. If that shows up, say so out loud: that voice is not the truth of the day.
The longer essay is how to talk to a kid about a bully at school. The free lesson is the cartoon bully is a lie. The book that stays on the desk is a signed copy of Bullies Among Us.