If your friends like to make fun of you, you should reconsider your friendship. This is different from bullying which is done to attack someone. Real friends won't do things that make you really sad. It's natural for friends to joke around with each other, but if it seems to be one-sided, or happens all the time, it's best to try to stop it. There are several techniques to ward off teasing from friends so you don't have to react to them too often.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Reducing the Jokes
Step 1. Learn to laugh at yourself
This may be difficult to do if you're feeling shy or sensitive, but it's a very important step. Children are sometimes very cruel, and don't think about other people's feelings as much as adults do. If you appear to be feeling really down, some people will just get more excited and make fun of you even more.
- Learning to laugh at yourself is especially important when you make a mistake in public, such as spilling a drink, tripping over something, or dropping your luggage.
- Pay attention to how popular kids handle this situation. Usually, they'll start making jokes right away ("You know, still sleepy. My life hasn't come together yet.") They may still be teased for being careless, but soon they'll get bored and ask their friends to end it, then start talking about other things..
- Forget your mistakes. Everyone must have done something embarrassing. However, try to hold your head up and continue your activities. The people around you will stop worrying about your mistakes.
- At first it feels strange, so force yourself to do it. You will get used to it with lots of practice!
Step 2. Be confident
It's not that you always have to feel confident, but do your best to always look confident. That way, you won't be teased too easily. People are intimidated by confident people. If they can't figure out what you're going to say, they'll fail to make fun of you. They know that they will look like idiots if you can intelligently reply to their taunts.
- Try to slow down your speech. When nervous, people tend to speak more quickly. So try slowing it down, and you'll appear more confident.
- Pay attention to your body language. It may sound cliché, but stand up straight, pull your shoulders back, and lift your chin up. You will look and feel more confident.
- Chat with your next door neighbor's grandma or grandpa, or one of your mom's friends, or your friend's sister. Talk to people who won't make fun of you, and when no friends make you nervous. The more practice, the easier it will be to talk to others in more stressful situations.
- Keep in mind that other people may not pay much attention to you. All the kids around you, including the popular kids, are obsessed with themselves. They are too busy worrying about trivial things like being afraid to say something stupid in front of the person they like, or having bad hair. So, don't worry when everyone sees you when you enter the room.
Step 3. Master the jokes
Sometimes teasing can actually be an advantage, if you're not too offended by it, or you feel teased because someone is jealous of you. For example, when guys make fun of their friends for dressing up, especially when trying to impress girls. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, he can master the taunts by saying “Yep, this new hat is really cool…and I look cool too!”
Step 4. Get rid of the teasing
This approach has a trick that, if you can master it, can be very effective in awkward social situations. When being teased, instead of being sad, be relaxed and give a slightly annoyed, but not angry, expression. In your heart, think the sentence, "Okay, kids, it's been fun enough. Just a little mature."
- Don't ignore their ridicule completely. Otherwise, you will appear angry and too serious.
- Don't acknowledge their ridicule and humble yourself. They will actually be more triggered and cruel.
Method 2 of 4: Prankback
Step 1. Learn how to mock back
One of the life skills is the ability to return ridicule without sounding too cruel. Making jokes is a part of life. If you can be a little funny, both giving and receiving jokes, other people will not make fun of you too much.
Some people mock a friend or boyfriend out of affection. They really find it funny. They will be amazed at you if you can reply to the taunts without feeling angry
Step 2. Bring back the taunts wittily
If a friend suddenly taunts you, for example about a guy, say, "Why do you suddenly want to know who I have a crush on?" Or, if your new look is being teased by your friends, say "So cool is my hair that it has to be discussed?"
Step 3. Pay attention to other people
See when other people who are good at handling criticism make smart comebacks. Take note of how they reacted, what was said, and the reaction they received. When you're being teased, you might think, "What would he do if he was in my current situation?"
Step 4. Use the “Yes, and
.. . Maybe you're being teased because your friends feel that you've changed and become much more mature than they are. You're ridiculed because it's easier to grow up too. Change is scary. If you can get back at him, your friends will know you're still the same person you used to be and there's nothing to be afraid of.
- Your friend scoffs for wearing a new leather jacket and says “Hello Charli ST12.” Answer with "Yes, and…now, I'm going to sing Isabella."
- If you're wearing a scarf, and your friend says, "Oi, that's your grandmother's scarf, isn't it?" Respond with, "Yes, I also borrowed her underwear."
Method 3 of 4: Cultivate Friendship
Step 1. Say that you are annoyed
A little bit of teasing is normal, but if it's too frequent and bothers you, it's probably getting out of hand. Your friend may not know how bothered you are. Make sure you both discuss this matter alone. If you try to stop the teasing while it's in progress, chances are your friends will go crazy.
- State your expectations clearly. Is there something that bothers you? How do you want your friends to behave?
- Don't forget that jokes are part of one's personality. Your friends probably won't be able to stop teasing you. Don't force your friends to make promises that they can't keep. You will actually hate each other.
- Be specific. If there's a particular subject you don't want to bring up, ask a friend not to make fun of the topic. Or, if someone seems to be pushing your friend all the time, ask if your friend has ever noticed, and ask him to pay attention to them later.
- Avoid blaming your friend because he will actually get defensive. Don't say things like, "Why are you being so mean to me?" Instead, say “I actually get annoyed when my height is teased. Please defend me when other friends make fun of me.”
- Let your friend know that you will tolerate her teasing as long as she tries to correct her behavior. Say, "We've been friends for a very long time. I'm only bothered by this one thing. If you can control it, we have no problem.”
- If you notice that you sometimes overreact or make fun of yourself, or have a hard time laughing at yourself, say that you will try to fix it. Say, “I know I can be overly sensitive sometimes and now I'm working on fixing it. Will you guys cut back on the teasing until I'm patient enough?"
- However, don't let them get away with it, if the ridicule is excessive. Sometimes, people cover up bullies by saying, “Take it easy!” or “The name is also a joke.” Don't blame yourself, if this happens.
Step 2. Ask if anything is bothering them
Some people scoff at having a problem with you but aren't brave enough to speak up. They'll try to sneak it into the chat, and pretend they're joking. If you suspect this situation is happening, ask your friend to talk alone and ask if there is anything to talk about. Tell him that his jokes have been a bit cruel lately and you want to know why.
- Use this approach with a friend who suddenly starts making fun of you, or when his light jokes are getting crueler.
- Perhaps, there has been a misunderstanding between you. Once explained, the mocking should have stopped.
Step 3. Find out the reason for your friend's ridicule
Sometimes, friends make fun of you because they think you're more popular than them and feel threatened. They try to attract attention, even if the attention is negative. They think if they can make you feel small, they'll look better.
- If you're suddenly being teased more than usual, and you don't know why, it may be because you now look more attractive and confident than before. If so, rejoice!
- Think about whether something happened in your friend's life that made him or her feel uncomfortable. Perhaps, they are distracting themselves from themselves. Maybe you're not the cause.
Step 4. Don't be stubborn
Avoid exaggerating the issue and don't expect an apology. A good friend will apologize without being asked, if he realizes that you are really sad for him. However, if you force your friends to feel guilty even though the problem is trivial, you will actually be hated. If you want to stay friends, say that as long as the joke is over, there's no problem between you two.
If they continue to tease you after agreeing to change, you should consider ending your friendship. Bad people will only complicate your life
Method 4 of 4: Overcoming Bullying
Step 1. Be on the attack
As the saying goes, "attack is the best defense." If you feel up to it, one way to avoid teasing is to stop it before it starts. For example, if you're always being teased by someone at school, try saying something casual and a little joking, for example, "Oh yeah, it's lunch time. It's time to gossip about my hair again." The trick is to make the prankster look boring and predictable..
- If you can make other people laugh with you, you can counteract the teasing back at the bully. A bully usually comes in groups of fellow people who like to tease each other.
- Bullies really don't like being embarrassed in front of their friends.
Step 2. Take control of the situation
If you feel you can use a more aggressive tactic, try to take control of the conversation. Maybe you can calm them down if you find an ulterior motive to tease you. In addition, if you can also find a reason the bully likes to mock, there is a chance that the problem can be resolved amicably.
- Whenever the bully asks a question, respond by asking for an explanation. (“Why do you believe?” or “Why do you think I did?”)
- Be careful not to lose your temper or sound sarcastic, as this will only add to the bully's anger.
Step 3. Try not to make fun of other people
You will quickly lose respect if you are caught mocking others, even for those who mock you viciously. If you start teasing him, he'll just feel like he's part of the game. Some children actually like to tease and want to be teased. Usually, this child is a strong girl who has many brothers. Once you start teasing other people, the game is fair. Defend yourself, but don't overdo it.
Step 4. Report
If the situation is too severe, and you can't control it, talk to a parent or teacher. They may be able to find a way to handle the situation without anyone knowing that you reported it.
- This approach should be taken with caution because if the bully finds out, you may be treated even more severely.
- Your safety and mental health is more important than your reputation. If you feel the bully is about to use violence, you have an obligation on yourself and other children who are being bullied to report their behavior to the teacher.
