Dad mimics daughter's school bullies to see how she'd respond — and her answers have the internet in a chokehold

You can't control the bullies, but as parents, you can at least help your kids learn how to respond to them unapologetically while boosting their confidence and self-worth. When David Davies (@daviesdailydiaries on TikTok), 62, a father from Basingstoke, England, saw his daughter, Serena, being constantly bullied at school for her appearance, he decided to step in, helping her find her voice. In a video posted recently, Davies captured Serena, 6, beaming with newfound confidence as she answered how she would face bullies teasing her looks and life choices.

Serena looked very different from most of her peers, thanks to her diverse cultural roots. However, because of it, she'd have a miserable time dealing with playground bullies who left no opportunity to mock her appearance. In fact, a classmate had once thrown a toy at Serena, apparently because she had "wonky eyes," her father told Newsweek. Repeated negative experiences had clearly taken a toll on the little girl; she was so affected by the cruel comments that she was even scared of her reflection. Davies was obviously terrified, seeing his daughter lose her self-confidence, and this is when he started preparing her to face the cruel world. "When I first started talking to her about these things, she listened, but she lost hope because she had to face bullying five days a week at her old school," he said. However, with time, Serena began responding organically. For example, if Davies asked her to respond to someone criticizing her outfit, she would say, "It’s OK, I am not wearing this for you. I am wearing it for myself." Similarly, if someone threatens her, saying they wouldn't be her best friend, Serena would counter by declaring that she has more friends. "And what would you say if I said I don't like you?" her father asked, to which she confidently replied, "It's okay, I love myself."

Sadly, not many kids feel safe to share their bullying experiences with their parents; in fact, less than half (46%) of middle and high schoolers who were bullied at school said they told a teacher or another adult about it, according to the BJS and NCES data. This is especially concerning because studies have proven that timely intervention by parents (specifically) can significantly lower both bullying and victimization rates. A study published in BMC Public Health revealed that bullying often leads to loneliness and withdrawal in victims, which can worsen anxiety and depression. However, researchers Huaqiang Liu, Zhensong Lan, Qing Wang, Xuefang Huang, and Jianming Zhou found that increased parental support can significantly reduce the harmful psychological effects of bullying. When kids feel safe and open up to their parents, they don't fear judgments, and that's when they realize that they aren't alone. This explains why positive parental intervention lowers feelings of loneliness.

Netizens were in awe of the little girl's confidence and praised her father, who helped her develop this attitude. Reacting to Davies' video, @claireyhadalittlelamb commented, "It has taken me as an adult to get to this beautiful girl's level of self-love. This is incredible to see; great job, parents." @mum2harperandharmony wrote, "I am showing this to my daughter; she's struggling with confidence at the moment, and I think this will really help. Thank you." @safattshop wished, "I wish I had a daddy who stopped me from being a people pleaser and encouraged me to love myself more… but I am glad my husband is the same as this daddy… you are raising your little girl in the best possible way you can. She will be such an unbothered, confident girl when she grows up."

You can follow David Davies (@daviesdailydiaries) on TikTok for more parenting content.

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