A Culture of Bullying: Digging a Little Deeper

We have spent quite a bit of time this month researching and blogging about bullying. We have come to the conclusion that as a culture if we all dig a little deeper into our own lives, we could lessen the problem of bullying greatly.
Children live what they are taught.  What is it about our culture that [...]

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Physical Effects of Bullying

When we’re conducting staff development programs or parent programs at schools, one point that we stress is:

Bullying is not a right of passage, and should not be blown off as a “boys will be boys” or “kids will be kids” situation.  Bullying is not ok, and chronic bullying can have serious short-term and long-term physical and [...]

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Targets of Bullying

In our Native culture, we teach our children that diversity is to be honored and revered.  Just as there are no two stars exactly alike in the universe, there are no two children exactly alike on Earth.  It is so important to honor and respect each others’ differences.
We have found in our public and private elementary, [...]

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Bullying and Native American Children on Reservations

Several times a year we return to Robert’s homeland in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.  Besides Mom, we still have many aunts, uncles, and cousins living on the rez.  We also travel to many other nations throughout Indian Country, and we would be remise to talk about bullying without taking the time to recognize the special issues faced by Native [...]

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How to Talk to a Child who is Being a Bully

When confronted with evidence of being a bully, your child or student may respond “I wasn’t being a bully, we were having a fight.”  When faced with this justification, here are some questions you may ask your child to elicit a discussion of what it means to be a bully.  We believe that in this [...]

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Things Not to Say if Your Child is Being Bullied

If your child is being bullied, your first instinct may be to make light of it, in order to help your child or student feel better.  Do not do this.  The most important thing you can do is listen, until you have the whole story – or as much of the story as you are going to get.  [...]

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Third Annual National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week, Oct. 5 – 11

Third Annual National Bullying Prevention Awareness
 
 

 Week, Oct. 5 – 11, Calls on Communities to Unite

From www.pacer.org:
It takes a community to prevent bullying of children. The Third Annual National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week, Oct 5-11, 2008 encourages communities nationwide to work together to increase awareness of the prevalence and impact of bullying on all children.
Families, students, [...]

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Steps for Taking Care of Bullying

Last night we did a parent program for Holy Trinity Catholic School in Lenexa, Kansas. The school asked us ahead of time to specifically focus on bullying. Throughout the evening we felt the heartfelt concern of the gathered parents, teachers, and community. From a personal standpoint, our children are grown, but as grandparents of seven, how [...]

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Anti-Bullying Toolkit for Young Bullying Bystanders

We have found when acting as bystanders and witnesses to bullying, many elementary school children would like to help stop it, but don’t know how, because they’re caught off guard and don’t know what to do.  Here are some simple things to teach your children:
 

You can say “That’s not funny,” in response to a child [...]

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Anti-Bullying/Back to School Poem

When in doubt, go back to the basics when teaching your children about bullying.  Remember this poem from a book that was popular about 20 years ago? We think it will put a smile on your child’s face – even if your child is an adult.
All I Really Need To Know
I Learned In Kindergarten
by Robert [...]

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