Monthly Archives: May 2014

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

Debunking the popularity myth

Awareness of bullying has dramatically increased in America over the last few years. There are many stories in the news about the disastrous consequences that sometimes take place.

However, many people who are not around the bullying on a regular basis fail to see the reason that it may be taking place. Previously, it was thought that bullying only comes from the top of the social pecking order.

Recent studies, however, have shown that the vast majority of bullying happens between kids in the same perceived social strata.

 

Why bully?

Bullying among adolescents typically is motivated by a desire for some sort of change in social standing.

While many people think that bullying comes from those that are already in a position of high standing among their peers, this is not the case. Instead, the majority of bullying comes from kids who are trying to advance their standing at the expense of their peers.

The question then becomes: What is the cause of this bullying and how does it occur in the first place?

Recent research has shown that children who bully are often victims of bullying or abuse themselves. This may be among their peers, but it could also be something that they have to deal with at home.

Children who have disruptions at home are more likely to bully at school. Problems at home can include divorce, abuse, violence, neglect or a stressful atmosphere. Other issues involve medical conditions, including depression or ADHD.

 

How do we counteract bullying?

It is important that schools make a diligent effort to understand that bullying may be coming from places that they may not expect. In one form or another, bullying happens to a majority of students.

Those who are looking for the social acceptance that they do not get at home are more likely to bully. They are also more sensitive to bullying from others.

Furthermore, parents can do their part to help with bullying by creating more stable environments at home.

There are certain factors that are hard to control, but a continued emphasis on children’s safety is not something that should be overlooked. Lastly, even in stable households, parents can teach their children about bullying and what to do in the event that they see it happening at school or among their friends.

Child Safety, Discipline, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Do your kids know about stranger danger?

Children can be very trusting of others, an issue that can lead to serious problems if a stranger’s intent is malicious. While many strangers are nice, a child needs to learn to recognize a situation to avoid stranger danger from those who aren’t trustworthy.

A parent can help a youngster by teaching and reinforcing the following concepts.

 

Defining a Stranger

It’s important to emphasize that a stranger is someone not known to a child or to the family.

A common perception established through cartoons and other avenues is that a stranger looks scary, but this may not be the case in real life. Help a child to understand that a person’s appearance alone isn’t enough to determine whether they is nice or not.

Additionally, explain that being recognized or called by name by a stranger doesn’t mean that the child or family know that individual.

 

Good Strangers

It’s important to help children understand that not every stranger is bad.

Some strangers have jobs of protecting or helping others, and a child may need to approach safe strangers in instances of need. For example, firefighters and police officers are easy to recognize.

In work settings, school officials such as teachers and office staff may be strangers who can help. An employee in a store at a cash register or desk may be helpful, especially if a youngster is lost. Provide examples of situations and locations where help may be safely sought.

 

Understanding Dangerous Scenarios

Role playing or discussing dangerous situations can help a child who needs to better understand how to deal with strangers.

Warning signs of suspicious situations may include:

-An adult asking a child to disobey his parents
-An individual asking a child to keep a secret
-Any situation that makes a child feel uncomfortable

A youngster should be taught to deal with these situations as well. “No, go, yell and tell” is a simple mnemonic device to help a child remember what to do when in an uncomfortable situation.

-It is okay to say no to a stranger.
-It is important to go someplace else, leave the situation.
-It may be necessary to yell for help.
-It is important to tell an adult about suspicious individuals.

 

Safety Measures

Parents play a key role in keeping children safe from stranger danger by knowing where their youngsters are at all times. Additionally, parents can designate safe places and people to seek for help.

 

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

Weapons in schools compromise everyones safety

It seems as if every day on the news there are new reports of weapons in schools. When this happens, students, teachers and staff are all put at risk, due to the unpredictable circumstances that can take place. However, it is important to evaluate why these students are bringing weapons to school and what can be done to stop this trend from increasing at such an alarming rate.

The reasons that students bring weapons to school vary. A recent study showed that some of these reasons include:
• Being bullied about physical appearance or learning disabilities
• Feeling unsafe about other kids bringing weapons to school
• Showing off to friends
• Complete emotional disconnect

These common instances are easily preventable. With help from parents and educators, these problems can be corrected. For example, the reason that some students bring weapons to school is because they think others are bringing weapons as well. The more that this snowballs and accumulates, the greater the concern. This is a dangerous situations that can happen in any school. With preventative counseling and outreach, instances like this can be avoided.

child-safety

Furthermore, there is a connection to be considered between bullying and the use of weapons. If students who are bullied do not feel safe, they are 49 times more likely to bring weapons to school in order to protect themselves. Despite an increase in awareness across America, this alarming rate demonstrates just how explosive bullying in schools can be.

Some of the most popular choices for weapons include:
• Firearms
• Knives
• Clubs
• Makeshift weapons

The concern here is that many of these weapons can be taken from home. Children can even make their own weapons with instructions from the Internet. Parents may not even be aware of the problems their children are experiencing at school. Simple communication is the easiest remedy for such a troubling problem.

As the concern over weapons at school increases, so should the public awareness of the situation. Parents need to continually check in with their children to see how things are going at school. Parents should also be informing their children of what to do if they see weapons in school or if they hear someone has a weapon.

Through these precautionary tactics, we can start working towards safer schools for our children and teachers.

Child Fitness, Child Health, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Fun exercises for kids

With so much digital stimulation available today such as video games, tablets and the like, instant gratification has become the most important consideration for a child to deem an activity as fun. But whatever happened to good, old-fashioned play time? Many kids end up sitting on the sofa with a device in their hands rather than playing outside. The result is that children are packing on more pounds than they used to, which puts them at risk for a host of diseases.

Here are some fun exercises for kids. They won’t realize they’re exercising since they will be too busy having fun to care.kids-exercising

  • Monkeying around – Challenge a child to complete a playground obstacle course in a timed fashion. Whoever gets through the entire course wins. By including requirements like going down the slide five times, climbing the monkey bars from one side to the other, scaling the jungle gym or running two laps around the perimeter, children will learn to complete fitness goals. Parental involvement is more important than people realize. Parents can get in on the fun to make the challenge more real.

 

  • Scavenger hunt – Hide treasures around the house, both inside and out. Then write clues on index cards suggesting a method of exercise to use to get to the next location. For example, if the child is to advance to the deck from the kitchen suggest they go where the sunshine meets their face and the wind greets their hair, but use jumping jacks to get there.

 

  • Animal yoga – Kids are so flexible. Capitalize on that by introducing them to yoga. The poses they’ll do emulate cats arching their backs and snakes slithering along the ground. Encourage children to make the animal sounds as they perfect the pose. Between the giggles they will strengthen their core and leg muscles.

 

  • Video games rock – Don’t forget the video games! Many game developers create games that encourage movement and exercise. Join in the fun and make the activity a family affair.

Children can be coerced off the couch. They are still children after all and will have fun the moment they begin playing. It just takes a little planning to find some great exercises for kids they’ll actually want to do!

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

One city’s fight to criminalize bullying

Carson City California is working to pass an ordinance making the act of picking on others a crime.

This is just the latest in a trend over the last few years to pass legislation aimed at putting a stop to bullying, including a similar ordinance that was passed in a Wisconsin city.

What city officials hope to achieve with the ordinance is “intervening in both the bully’s life, who is a person who is hurting too, and the victim’s life,” said Carson City Mayor Jim Dear.

If passed, parents who’s kids are accused of bullying would be required to attend a juvenile court hearing and an offender could face jail time.

Opponents say that ordinances like this go too far in trying to curb the verbal and physical abuse so many children are facing, and an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California noted that the ordinance doesn’t outline the amount of jail time an offender could face.

Do you feel an ordinance like this would help curb bullying in your community? Would you support such an ordinance?

 

Child Health, Child Obesity, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Childhood nutrition facts

Did you know that the amount of nutrients kids need to grow changes as they get older? Take a look at the childhood nutrition facts below to learn how much each food group your child needs.

 

Kids age 2-3

Calories  1,000-1,400

Protein  2-4 ounces

Fruit  1-1.5 cups

Vegetables  1-1.5 cups

Grain  3-5 ounces

Dairy  2-2.5 cups

 

Girls age 4-8

Calories  1,200-1,800

Protein  3-5 ounces

Fruit  1-1.5 cups

Vegetables  1.5-2.5 cups

Grain  4-6 ounces

Dairy  2.5-3 cups

 

Boys age 4-8

Calories  1,200-2,000

Protein  3-5.5 ounces

Fruit  1-2 cups

Vegetables  1.5-2.5 cups

Grain  4-6 ounces

Dairy  2.5-3 cups

 

Girls age 9-13Breakfast

Calories  1,400-2,200

Protein  4-6 ounces

Fruit  1.5-2 cups

Vegetables  1.5-3 cups

Grain  5-7 ounces

Dairy  2.5-3 cups

 

Boys age 9-13

Calories  1,600-2,600

Protein  5-6.5 ounces

Fruit  1.5-2 cups

Vegetables  2-3.5 cups

Grain  5-9 ounces

Dairy  3 cups

 

Girls age 14-18

Calories  1,800-2,400

Protein  5-6.5 ounces

Fruit  1.5-2 cups

Vegetables  2.5-3 cups

Grain  6-8 ounces

Dairy  3 cups

 

Boys age 14-18

Calories  2,000-3,200

Protein  5.5-7 ounces

Fruit  2-2.5 cups

Vegetables  2.5-4 cups

Grain  6-10 ounces

Dairy  3 cups

(source: Mayo Clinic)

 

These childhood nutrition facts are a great way to ensure that your child’s body has the fuel it needs to develop. And of course, you want to limit junk food and encourage physical activity.

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

How Parents Can Help Stop Bullying

Bullying is not new, nor does in occur sporadically. According to the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 20 percent of students in grades 9–12 experienced bullying.

In any social setting where children gather routinely, vying for power and acceptance can occur, which can create an uncomfortable environment.

 

Motivators behind bullying

Intrinsically, bullying is about power. When a person wants control over other individuals, they will exert mental or physical power over the person they perceive to be weak to gain advantage.

The true motivations are usually rooted in deep-seated jealousy or feelings of inadequacy that they harbor inside, but the person being bullied will not be allowed to see this.

Bullying puts the victim in a state of perpetual fear, no matter how hard they try to avoid it.

 

How parents can help manage bullying

Even those who choose to defend themselves are constantly worried that they will have to do it again and against larger numbers. It may seem, at times, that parents can’t do anything to help their children through these tough times, but there are some actions that can be taken.

Parents can:

  • Pay attention to their child. While some changes are just a part of growing up, others are telltale signs that something is adversely affecting children’s lives. Because kids don’t often ask for help in these instances, it’s up to parents to open the lines of communication, read between the lines and determine when they can do to help.
  • Bullying is something that has gotten worse with the advent of social media sites. Cyberbullying has become a popular form of control. Parents should stay in tune with their child’s social media interactions.
  • Meet with teachers and the principal to determine what can be done to thwart this behavior in school.
  • Find out when the bullying is occurring. If threats have been made outside of school, parents can get the police involved.
  • If the bullying continues after a school’s official intervention, write a Notice of Harassment and file it with the Board of Education.
  • If the bullying persists, file charges. This will put the behavior on record and establishes a pattern. It also serves as documentation for the events.

Parents, school officials and any adults who come into contact with children on a regular basis must watch for signs of bullying and take steps to stop it. These measures are in place to keep children safe.

Child Safety, Discipline, Motivation, SYN Digital Enrollment Director

Teaching Kids Responsibility

Parents want to help their kids be successful, but often fear they’ll teach them the wrong things, or teach them in the wrong way. Luckily, responsibility is something that can be taught by example and explanation as much as by enforcement of rules.

 

Learning Responsibility by Example

Parents are the best models for their child’s behavior, especially in the earliest years of development. They should express earnest interest in chores and go about their business without whining or frowning. Seeing shows of good humor alongside chores will help children associate responsibility with positive rather than negative feelings.

It is also beneficial to invite children to help with household chores and other responsibilities. This interaction helps them understand what to do, as well as reinforcing a positive aspect to the responsibility.

 

Learning Responsibility by Explanation

Kids want approval. They want to behave. They want to do well in the things their parents want them to do well in. If they act out or misbehave, there’s always a reason. Sometimes that reason is frustration born of the fact that they don’t know how to behave correctly.

That’s why explanations are so important. Sometimes it’s not enough to just show kids how to behave responsibly. Many times they don’t understand why a task is important, or perhaps even how to do that task correctly. In either case, explanations are crucial.

A child who not only understands how to do something, but why they should do it is a happy child. Children who misbehave, especially young ones, often don’t know why what they have done is wrong. If they learn how to correct their mistakes, they will most likely do so.

 

Learning Responsibility by Enforcement

Sometimes, of course, kids just won’t live up to the expectations placed upon them. At this point, parents must guide them to good behavior through enforcement of consequences for failures in responsibility.

Of course, parents should also make sure to give positive reinforcement for success. However, they should be wary of providing rewards too early on in a child’s development. Responsibility must be seen as an end in itself, not as an avenue to ulterior benefits.

 

In the End

Responsibility is a matter of modeling good behavior for one’s children. It is also a matter of explaining that behavior, and enforcing the consequences of that behavior, for better or for worse.