The latest research shows that more than half of all children are, at least on occasion, directly involved in bullying—as a perpetrator, victim, or both. And many of those who are not directly involved witness others being bullied regularly.

No child is immune. Kids of every race, gender, grade, and socioeconomic sector are affected. But it doesn't have to be this way. As "parents" of our grandchildren, we have the power to reduce bullying. The following steps can help as we endeavor to eliminate bullying and its effects on our grandchildren.

Talk with and listen to your grandchildren every day. Research shows that parents are the last to know when their child has been bullied. Spend a few minutes every day asking open-ended questions about whom the children spend their time with at school and in the neighborhood, what they do between classes and at recess, with whom they have lunch, and what happens on the way to and from school.

Spend time at school and recess. Schools don't have the resources to do it all, and they need parents' help in reducing bullying. Research shows that 67 percent of bullying happens when adults are not present.

Model kindness and leadership. Your grandkids learn a lot from watching you. Don't blow it by blowing your top! When you speak to another person in a mean or abusive way, you're teaching your grandchild that bullying is OK.

Learn the signs of bullying. Most children don't tell anyone, especially adults, when they've been bullied, so it's up to us to know the signs, which include frequent loss of belongings, complaints of headaches or stomach aches, avoiding recess or school activities, and getting to school very late or very early. If you suspect that a child is being bullied, talk with a teacher. Also, talk directly to your child about the situation.

Create healthy anti-bullying habits early. As early as kindergarten, coach your grandchildren what not to do. That includes hitting, pushing, teasing, and being mean to others. Equally important, teach your grandkids what to do. That includes being kind and empathetic, playing fairly, and taking turns—all skills for good peer relationships.

Help your grandchild's school address bullying effectively. Ongoing educational programs help create a healthful social climate in the school. This means teaching kids at every grade level how to be inclusive leaders and how to be empathetic toward others, and teaching effective resistance techniques to victims.

Teach your grandchild to be a good witness. Kids who witness bullying feel powerless and seldom intervene. They can often diffuse a bullying situation effectively by yelling "Stop! You are bullying!"

Teach your grandchild about cyber-bullying. Cyber-bullying occurs on the Internet, and includes sending mean, rude, vulgar, or threatening messages or images; posting sensitive, private information about another person; pretending to be someone else in order to make a person look bad; and intentionally excluding someone from an online group. These acts are as harmful as physical violence, and must not be tolerated. The more time teens spend online, the more they will be bullied.

Spread the word that bullying should not be a normal part of childhood. All forms of bullying are harmful to the perpetrator, to the victim, and to witnesses—and the effects last well into adulthood (and can include depression, anxiety, substance abuse, family violence, and criminal behavior). Efforts to reduce bullying require the collaboration of school, home, and community. Let's all do our part to protect our grandchildren.