To visually distinguish between bullying and play, the video recommends staff should ...

• A. Ignore minor incidents
• B. Move students to separate rooms
• C. Set firm expectations early in the session and reinforce limits
• D. Only monitor during lunch

Answer: (C)

Clear, early expectations about how peers should interact and consistent reinforcement of those limits create a framework that makes how students are interacting visible. When staff set and uphold rules from the start, students know what kinds of behavior are acceptable, and observers can more easily tell when interactions stay playful and mutual versus when they become coercive or targeting someone specific. Healthy play tends to involve equal participation, voluntary participation, and light-hearted, consensual humor; bullying shows a pattern of power imbalance, repeated targeting, fear, or humiliation, which stands out against the established norms. Reinforcing those limits throughout the session ensures violations are addressed quickly, reinforcing safety and helping students learn appropriate boundaries. In contrast, ignoring minor incidents lets harm slide, moving students apart only reduces interaction without teaching better behavior, and monitoring only during lunch misses the majority of the time when interactions occur, making it harder to distinguish between play and bullying.