NO MORE BULLIES!

Dearest Clarity,

My daughter has just started Senior Kindergarten! I can't believe how fast it has all gone by. Although the kids in her class are only five, bullying has already begun. Through my own experiences as a child, and through the experiences of other parents and kids I know, its obviously a very serious problem. Bullying can really hurt people both inside and out. In the present and in the future. It can take a child's confidence away, distract them from learning and cause them to be afraid to go to school and be themselves.

I have personally been talking to my daughter about this for a while now, because it's something that I find very important. I believe it is up to us as parents and caregivers to do our best to make our children aware of what bullying is, and how to deal with it. If we start at a young age, to teach our children the tools they need to be confident in who they are, and give them the ability to stick up for themselves and others, then we have already made a difference.

In my experience bullies are usually children that come from a back round where they were taught to deal with feelings or conflicts in negative ways, or not at all. Or they are looking for attention for some reason and don't know any other way to express it.  

Unfortunately getting to the root of why the bully is doing what they are doing is not always easy. This is why I believe the best way to try and stop this serious issue, is again to strengthen our children's confidence. Let them know how loved they are, how proud we are of them, and how much they are capable of.

At my daughter's young age of five, I have told her to tell the bully that she does not want to be treated that way, and to move on and go play with someone else. Now I know as kids get older it gets harder and more intense, so hear is a great website for anyone who might need it.

www.bullying.org

Let's love our children.

Let's help our children.

Let's respect our children

Let's be positive role models for our children

LET'S MAKE A CHANGE!