Monthly Archives: March 2014

Bullying, Child Safety, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Youth Bullying – It can happen to anyone

Being bullied makes children feel isolated. Kids who are bullied feel like they are the only ones in the whole school or neighborhood experiencing it, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. According to the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “20 percent of students in grades 9–12 experienced bullying.”

What may be even more relevant to a kid in this situation is hearing about the same thing happening to someone they see on TV or hear on the radio. Motivating a child to understand the dynamics of youth bullying as it relates to a celebrity they recognize will go a long way in changing their perspective on their own experience.

There are many celebrities that were bullied as children. Here are just a few that have shared their stories publicly:

Megan Fox
Fox of Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen and “Two and a Half Men” fame was bullied throughout high school. She said that the bullying made her feel like high school was never going to end.

Tom Cruise
One of the most recognizable actors in the world, Tom Cruise was forced to fight a bully as a kid. He spoke of knowing that he had to stand up for himself, or he was going to be picked on by that person continuously.

Demi Lovato
Singer and former judge on “The X Factor” has spoken about the hate petitions concerning her that were signed and circulated in middle school. She also told of CD-bashing parties where people destroyed her demo CDs.

Chris Colfer
This Glee star’s bullying episodes in middle school were so bad that he asked to be home-schooled. The kids who bullied him often stuffed him into lockers.

Kristen Stewart
Bella from Twilight remembers being verbally abused in the sixth grade. People talking about her and making disparaging remarks formed indelible memories.

Jessica Alba
Fantastic Four’s Jessica Alba was bullied so badly that her father walked her to school every day so that she didn’t get into a fight.

Bullying can happen to anyone.

Bullying doesn’t define what a person ends up doing in life. As these stories show, bullying can be overcome. Motivating a child to use their experiences to push them forward goes a long way to combating youth bullying.

Child Safety, Online Safety, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Prioritizing online safety for your kids

There’s no denying that the Internet has revolutionized the way we work, learn and interact. And with the recent 25th birthday of the Internet, it is a good time to look back and evaluate the online safety measures you take to protect your kids from potential dangers they could face every time they log on to play a game, do homework or chat with friends.

 

Common online safety tips

Just like we teach our kids to be alert around people in public, it is important for your child to keep information guarded when interacting with people online. These are the most basic of internet don’ts that all kids should know:

  • Never give out personal information such as name, address, contact information or school schedules
  • Don’t send pictures of yourself to strangers – they may use them to help track you down
  • Tell a trusted adult if someone online makes you feel uncomfortable or threatens you
  • Never agree to meet a stranger in real life who you met online
  • Remember that not all people are who they claim to be online

 

Good rules for online safety

There are some general things you can do to help keep your child safe online. Here are just a few:

  • Watch them when they are online – this will keep them from viewing things they shouldn’t and you can see who they’re talking with
  • Use the safety filter options on your web browser to keep inappropriate search results and web pages from appearing
  • Keep anti-virus and malware protection current to avoid hackers stealing private information about you or your kids
  • Agree on what is okay to download – are music lyrics vulgar or pictures too graphic for kids their age?

With a little care and the proper coaching, your kids can experience all the great things there are to see and do online without falling victim to predators or being taken in by scams.

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

Ohio bullying case shows need for change

A sad story out of an Ohio school involving a substitute teacher and several students facing charges of bullying highlight the need for anti-bullying programs aimed at adults as well as students.

You can read the story here: Ohio students, teacher charged in bullying case.

What do you think should happen with the teacher and the students?

ADHD & Focus, Bullying, SYN Digital Enrollment Director, SYN The Bully Expert

Managing bullying and ADHD

Raising children is one of the most difficult and rewarding things a person will ever do. Being the parent of a child with ADHD can be overwhelming, but with some adjustments, a family can come together and make life easier for the child.

One of the problems children with ADHD face is bullying from others, especially at school. Even though ADHD is rather common among school-aged children, any child who is different faces the possibility of being singled out.

 

What parents can do to stop bullyingkids-on-track

When bullying occurs for any reason, whether due to a disability or simply because kids are still learning how to treat others, the best way to combat it is to be proactive. Parents should stay in contact with teachers and find out if there are any problems in the classroom.

Also, parents need to make it clear to their kids that if anyone picks on them, they can come to them and talk about it. Keeping dialogue open is the best way to earn a child’s trust.

The parents of bullies also have to be proactive. Generally, the first notification a parent may get about their child exhibiting bullying behavior should come from a teacher.

However, it’s possible to spot bullying behavior before being notified of it. If the child is withdrawn, sullen, acting aggressive or out of character, the parent may be able to discuss concerns with the child’s teacher and learn what he or she can do to help those involved.

 

Who is a bullying victim?

Bullying is a big problem in American schools, but awareness is being raised both in and out of the classroom to identify and understand bullying behavior.

Often, the victims are “different” from their peers; either they’re too smart or not smart enough, like “weird” hobbies or have a disability of some kind. Maybe they’re a different race than everyone else in class, or they have an unusual appearance. Sometimes, a child is bullied for no apparent reason at all.

Whatever the reason, many schools are taking a zero-tolerance stance on bullying, and with good reason. Bullying has led to older children and teenagers committing suicide, and it can make many aspects of a child’s life difficult.

Fortunately, schools and parents can work together to stop bullying behavior before it gets out of hand. Children do not have to like each other, but they should not be permitted to treat each other unkindly or with disrespect.