The summertime offers more free time and our kids are going to want to do things online more than ever.  So what are some guidelines that we can set and how do we keep them safe.  This article that just came out covers this material very well.  It is at the Common Sense Media website.

As for Balanced Life Skills we will be covering age appropriate reminders for students on internet safety in our Focus on Friendship summer workshops for kids.  In this part of the workshop we will be talking to each group about defining the term cyber-bullying, and helping them to see healthy ways to use the computer and safety rules for them to be aware are necessary.   Each age group will be treated appropriately.

There have been a number of events that have taken place in my life or very close to me that has had me stop and think about being proactive. Many times the solutions to problems and the antidote to issues are prescribed after a bad event, but those very solutions and antidotes are very effective to never having the problem in the first place. Let me show a couple of examples.

If you go to the doctor and find that you are pre-diabetic or have diabetes, what do they do? They may put you on medications, but they will for sure instruct you on changing your diet and getting more exercise. So why do we wait till something happens, disaster is ready to strike and then start making changes, when we know that a healthy diet and good exercise routine can result in good health, with lowered risk of these kinds of diseases?

Recently someone close to me that suffers from depression, anxiety and bi-polar disorder after getting the chemicals balanced out was encouraged to take the time to learn and practice meditation. In fact at the hospital, the encouragement was talking to someone (social therapist), physical activity, and learning peace with meditation. These are all recommendations that are good for all of us. Why do we wait to practice some alone and quiet time, simply sitting with ourselves, and allowing our minds to rest – till we are stressed out or even worst have a complete breakdown? Should we not practice good mental health on a daily basis?

I have really started thinking about this in light of the work I am doing on bully prevention. To be honest it is hard to find individuals interested in the work that needs to be done – unless of course they are being bullied or their child is being picked on or worst yet someone is thinking of harming themselves. Then the subject is quite important to them.

Please do not wait till your child is being harmed in some manner, or until you find out that they are being hurt, before you take proactive steps to help them. Do not wait till they are in a fight and you admit that there are anger management issues that should have been dealt with a long time ago. Friendships, relationships and the way we deal with one another is not something that we wait till a bad destructive event. Do not wait to learn about verbal self defense, anger management, relational aggression, or the boy code – until there is an emergency situation in your life.

If you want to help me put the information together, find ways to help others and create a curriculum for all of us to study please contact me and I will tell you where I am at this time and we can discuss solutions to creating a culture of peace in our schools and community.

Day 16 in our series talks about the 3 ways we show assertiveness.  This whole series is found on Bully Prevention Partners.  We would like for those interested in creating a culture of peace in our schools and community to join us there as we spread the awareness of bully prevention.

Bully Prevention Partners gives some insight on who is most likely to become a target of a bully. While everyone can become a target, it is like a bully can smell out certain characteristics that say to them, “this person can be my victim’. Learn what they are here and in the coming days we will discuss more about the target / victim of bullying behavior.

What Should I Do If My Child Is A Bully?

In day 12 we answer the questions on the child displaying bullying behavior.  Should you punish them or is that counter to our ultimate goal of creating peace.  What do they need to practice and learn so they can stop the bullying behavior and have the courage to stand up for others?

Join Bully Prevention Partners as we tackle this issue with others.

There are some simple questions that you can ask yourself and your children no matter their age, to determine what beliefs you hold and see if your beliefs promote or prevent bullying?  Find them on Bully Prevention Partners or hear them on this video message.

Children can be taught important bullying prevention skills which are also important life skills. They can be used as a guide to solving social problems and help them to know how to be assertive while showing empathy.
Bully Prevention Partners presents Day 10 of 31 Days of Bully Prevention Messages. Join Bully Prevention Partners for more information.

Besides hurting others, bullies damage themselves, short term and long term each time they hurt others. The effects last long into adulthood and include some shocking findings. This is Day 9 in our series examining the effect of bullying behavior on the bully.

For 31 days we are looking at the subject of bullying and bullying prevention. Today we are looking at the differences in age groups, including how we may see warning signs in preschool children. Identifying these signs gives us the opportunity to work on social skills and empathy at a young age.

Join Bully Prevention Partners if you are interested in creating a culture of peace in our schools and community.