BY SANDRA GUY

Now that young people are returning to in-person classes, it’s the perfect time to remember that in-person bullying can return, too.

October — National Bullying Prevention Month — reminds us that families and schools can help strengthen children’s mental health by fostering connectedness.

How? The key is to create an atmosphere in which children feel supported and cared for, experts say.

Connectedness to family, peers and school is considered a protective factor for children’s and adolescents’ mental health, substance use, and bullying, according to the StopBullying.gov resource center.

“Children and adolescents who feel connected at school and home are less likely to experience negative health outcomes related to violence, substance use and mental health,” according to the website.

At the same time, experts say, though concern about it is growing, bullying isn’t an epidemic. In fact, national rates have decreased slightly in recent years; bullying does not cause suicide; it’s only one of many factors involved, and it’s important to keep in mind that each bullying incident is a complex interaction.

Experts say, if your child is bullied, you should help your child take full responsibility for his or her feelings and outlook.

Most kids do not realize that how they view a situation is ultimately how they will feel about it, too. In other words, if they dwell on the humiliation of being bullied, they will feel humiliated, according to Very Well Family.

You can also encourage your child to see if he or she can learn anything from the experience, to become a leader on behalf of other children, and to discover that they can be grateful for their friends, families and other positive aspects of their lives.

Of course, children should acknowledge and deal with their anger, so they should keep in touch with their teachers and talk with a counselor if necessary.

And you should help your child practice a plan to avoid a recurrence. You may need help from school administrators with issues such as a change in your child’s locker or schedule.

Remain proactive.