Monthly Archives: January 2014

Bullying, Discipline, SYN Digital Enrollment Director, SYN The Bully Expert

Bullying Suicides: Is there a correlation?

Everyone knows that bullying has been around as long as there have been children and playgrounds in school yards. In today’s modern world however, you can be bullied in every way from emotional bullying to what is known of as cyber bullying.

As proven by the tragic death of young Rebecca Sedwick, a 12-year old who jumped to her death after being bullied by former classmates, bullying can lead to tragic results. Though two of the main participants have been arrested in relation to her death, this really does nothing to stop bullying.

It is suggested by the experts that there is a strong link between bullying and suicide, below you will find some of the statistics that support this claim.

 

Bullying suicideteen-attitude

In recent years there has been a rash of what is now known of as bullying suicide in America, and in other countries as well.

While most adults tend to brush bullying off as something that just happens when you are in school, it is becoming increasingly apparent that brushing the problem under the rug is doing no good.

Statistics show that of the many suicides that happen every year, children that are being bullied are two to nine times more likely to consider suicide than their classmates who are not being bullied. If the bullying of Sedwick had been taken seriously by people with the power to stop it, she might still be alive today.

Bullies need to be made to face the consequences of their actions, and the arrest of the two girls who allegedly bullied Rebecca the most is considered a good place to start making a stand.

 

Bullying suicide

A study that was conducted in Britain showed that at least half of the reported suicides among teens are related in some way to bullying whether it is in school, online, or through texting.

The fact that over 160,000 kids find a reason to stay home from school every day to avoid bullying should be a wakeup call for everyone in America, and around the globe. Something has to be done to stop bullies, and the time to act is now. It is also been proven that girls from the age of 10 to 14 are more likely to try to commit suicide as Rebecca Sedwick has proven.

Discipline, Motivation, Self-Discipline, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Is your child’s discipline problem a behavior issue or something else?

AutismAll children have moments or phases they go through where good discipline is hard to come by. It is a normal part of a child’s social development where they test and learn the boundaries of socially acceptable behavior.

But if you child is having prolonged and consistent discipline problems, there may be something at work that goes beyond parenting style or even the temperament of the child.

This article on Babble.com explores the possibility that your child’s discipline problems may actually be caused by a developmental disorder. 8 Signs It’s More Than a Discipline Problem.

Getting to the root cause of your child’s discipline issues will help both parent and child to better manage and control temper tantrums as well as address the true cause of the meltdowns.

 

Bullying, Child Safety, Discipline, SYN Digital Enrollment Director, SYN The Bully Expert

Why Parents Should Not Rely On Shool Anti Bullying Programs Alone

Bullying at school has reached epidemic levels according to the National Education Association (NEA). In fact, figures from NEA show that 160,000 children miss school every day for fear of bullies. In addition, the National School Safety Center reckons that there are 2.1 million bullies in American schools.

To counter this problem, many schools have resorted to various anti bullying programs. The problem with these programs is they may be fueling bullying instead of stopping it according to a study published in the Journal of Criminology in December 2012. Results from this study show that students who attend a school with an anti bullying program are 1.2 times likely to be bullying victims.

 

Bullying program shortfalls

This has prompted Stuart Twemlow, an authority in the field of school violence and bullying to weigh in on the subject. Twemlow reckons that such programs fail because they rarely address issues such as the school environment, resources required to run such programs, and failure to reform the entire school culture.

Furthermore, many schools rush to roll out the latest anti bullying programs without considering whether such programs have worked elsewhere. However, Twemlow warns that one should be careful when assessing such studies because increased awareness and reports of bullying incidences may make it seem like the problem is on the rise when this is not the case.

 

Bullying programs need to train the individual

Instead of relying on blanket programs that put culture change ahead of training the individual, parents need to take charge in protecting their child from bullying by teaching them how to properly respond to a bully and ways to avoid becoming a victim in the first place.

Teaching them how to project confidence

Child Health, Child Safety, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

How to take care of a sick child

 

 

As a parent, I know just how difficult it is to wake up in the morning and discover that you have a sick child to take care of.

Every parent hates to see their child come down with a cold or the flu. It’s difficult to watch your little one suffer and all you want to do is help them feel better.

But what can you do for them? Here is a great article on what you should do when you have a sick child to take care of. The most important things you can do is monitor their condition closely, make them feel as comfortable as you can and show them that you are there for them.

With the proper treatments and some extra love, your sick child will bounce back before you know it.

Bullying, Child Safety, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

When Does Rough Play Become Bullying?

During the early years of childhood, it is often inevitable that parents will have to deal with the occasional tantrum or generally stubborn behavior.

It is common for children to get in fights with their siblings over toys or teasing and playground fights can sometimes occur between friends if their emotions get the best of them.

However, it is important to distinguish if this type of play or behavior could be something more dangerous to themselves or others: bullying.

 

Bullying or rough play?

Rough play is a natural part of the growth of a child. Though it shouldn’t necessarily be encouraged, this type of play allows children to experience different ways of dealing with people as well as different emotions.

Depending on the age, some children may have yet to understand the consequences of their actions; they simply listen to their emotions without recognizing what is socially acceptable behavior. In other words, these children are not bullying because they have no malicious intent.

 

Bullying is intentional

However, when children begin to become more self-aware, inappropriate behavior may sometimes be done with the intent of hurting others.

To distinguish between rough play and bullying, characteristics of bullying can include:

  • Indifference in hurting others

  • Needing to be in control all the time

  • Repeated and targeted hurtful actions to a specific child

  • Name-calling

  • Frightening other children

Some of these behaviors can occur simply because the children have yet to learn how to properly express themselves as their communication skills are still developing. Thus, some of these behaviors can occur without it being bullying which makes it hard to distinguish.

As parents it’s necessary to teach children early the right way to play. It’s important to let children express themselves but when it’s done at the expense of others then steps should be made to properly discipline your child.

Child Fitness, Child Obesity, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Proper Nutrition Improves Childhood Obesity Statistics

According to the CDC, childhood obesity rates have tripled over the last thirty years. In 2010, 18% of children ages six to eleven were considered obese. Numbers like these are occurring all over the country, causing alarm among the medical community.

As these rates continue to rise, it is certain more and more children will become victims of obesity, threatening their health and their lives. Many in the medical community are working to see what can be done to stop the onslaught of this epidemic.

Through research, it has been found the foods being consumed by children are putting their health at great risk and causing weight issues like have never been seen before.

 

Childhood obesity and kid’s diets

Why Is the Diet of Today’s Children Such a Concern?

Very few children these days are getting the Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) of the healthy foods containing the vitamins and minerals needed for proper growth and body function. Not only are children not eating the proper foods, but they are eating way too much.

The average child eats hundreds of calories more than they should in a day. Between the ages of seven and ten, children should consume between 1500 and 2000 calories, depending on their age and sex.

 

Food choice heavily impacts childhood obesity

One of the biggest worries among the medical community is children are eating more fast food, fried foods, candy and soda than ever before. If your child consumes a 4-piece chicken nugget happy meal, they have already consumed about a third of the calories they need in a day. This can be even greater if your child chooses to up the size of their meal to a Mighty meal.

Though the schools are trying to do their part in helping provide children with proper nutrition, they are failing in many ways. Pizza, fried nuggets and fries are not making for healthy kids.

 

Curbing childhood obesity

To improve the health of your child and prevent or reverse obesity, you need to offer your child a wide variety of healthy fruits and vegetables. Snacks should be offered in the form of fresh fruits and vegetable sticks. It is also important to get your child moving as much as possible.

Studies have shown active children who have plenty of opportunities for active play, weigh less than those who sit around and play video games or watch TV.

Through a healthy diet, exercise for kids and your supervision over their health, your child’s weight will improve along with their health.

Bullying, Discipline, SYN Digital Enrollment Director, SYN The Bully Expert

How to stop bullying

Although bullying has long been a part of playground dynamics, media coverage has shone a national spotlight on it that has heightened the awareness of the problem among parents, teachers, school officials, and students. With roughly one in three schoolchildren in grades six through 10 having at least one encounter with a bully, more people than ever are looking for effective ways to stop bullying among schoolchildren.

Opinion is also changing substantially concerning the best ways to stop bullying. Victims of bullies used to be told to ignore the situation or to fight back, but today’s experts don’t agree that either of these are viable solutions.

 

Stop bullying with body language

Bullies are generally very insecure people who use their powers of intimidation to give themselves the sense of power that they lack deep down. They have almost perfect radar when it comes to selecting their victims. The best way to avoid becoming targeted by a bully is to exude a healthy sense of confidence. Body language speaks volumes, for instance.

Those who stand up straight and walk with purpose are less likely to be approached and harassed by a bully. The average bully is looking for easy targets, so the most effective ways to prevent bullying all involve not being vulnerable to their attacks.

The type of confidence that generally stops bullying in its tracks can be expressed in a variety of ways. Good posture, with shoulders back and head up, is a great indicator to a bully that his or her attentions will not be well-received.

However, its wise to be prepared in case the bully doesn’t get the message. Self-defense or martial arts classes can work wonders to dissuade bullies.

 

Stop bullying through bystander intervention

One of the best ways to prevent bullying is for those who witness it either online or in real life to speak up.

Some people think its a problem if it is only happening to them or to one of their friends and therefore fail to say anything if they see it happening to someone else. However, one of the most powerful forces in nature when it come to adolescents is peer pressure, and the disapproval and intervention of the bully’s peers can go a long way toward preventing bullying.

In short, the most effective ways to prevent bullying include exhibiting an aura of confidence, being aware of surroundings, developing some self defense skills, and bringing the behavior of bullies to those with a ability and the authority to put a stop to it.