Start a #TakeNoBullies anti-Bullying Club in Your Community

Get your friends and start an anti-bullying club today!

It's summer!  School is out however bullies and cyber bullies don't take a break just because it is summer. 

What a perfect time to encourage your teens to start an anti-bullying support group and begin educating your community about cyber bullying and bullying.

Here are some tips to get you started.

Build your team:  Start recruiting your friends, family, neighbors and even local businesses have been known to contribute in a variety of ways.  For example, SmartSign from New York has created the #TakeNoBullies campaign.  You can check them
out for stickers and pins with great slogans that help spread the message that bullying and cyber bullying will not be tolerated.

Name your club:  Selecting a name for club as a well as a mission statement is important.  You want it to reflect on what your group stands for and how you are making a difference in your community.  Browse around the Internet and review some others for ideas.  Brainstorm and you will be amazed how something will come to you.

Where:  Many local libraries welcome kids and parents to start support groups.  Your local YMCA, Girls and Boys Clubs and local churches will sometimes have areas they can offer you space to have meetings and gatherings for events.

Do your research:  Learn as much as you can about bullying and cyber bullying prevention as well as how to help those that are victims.  There are many excellent websites to gather information from.  Here are a few of my favorites:

• Cyberbullying.us
• STOMPOutBullying.org
• StopBullying.gov

Create a ground swell:  Make some noise!  Contact your local newspaper, TV station and radio stations.  Let your community know your club exists.  Let kids know they have a place to come and learn more about bullying and cyber bullying.  Most importantly, it is a safe place for them to come if they are being bullied.  Again, school is out, and we always encourage kids to tell their parents, but some will go to their teachers first.  Right now they don’t have a teacher.  After they tell their parents, these kids will appreciate your peer support group.  Get the news out there!
Let’s be ready for BLUE Shirt Day:  October 7, 2013 is STOMPOutBullying across America!  Starting in August, STOMP will be getting ready for their annual BLUE sea of shirts across the country.  Let’s be sure your community has a voice in that movement too — it is that important.
These are a few simple steps to get your community involved this summer.  Encourage your kids to be the difference in the lives of others.  Even if they have never been bullied – helping others feels so good.

Let’s pay it forward this summer.

Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy

National Best Seller!

By Emily Bazelon

Being a teenager has never been easy, but in recent years, with the rise of the Internet and social media, it has become exponentially more challenging. Bullying, once thought of as the province of queen bees and goons, has taken on new, complex, and insidious forms, as parents and educators know all too well.

No writer is better poised to explore this territory than Emily Bazelon, who has established herself as a leading voice on the social and legal aspects of teenage drama. In Sticks and Stones, she brings readers on a deeply researched, clear-eyed journey into the ever-shifting landscape of teenage meanness and its sometimes devastating consequences. The result is an indispensable book that takes us from school cafeterias to courtrooms to the offices of Facebook, the website where so much teenage life, good and bad, now unfolds.

Along the way, Bazelon defines what bullying is and, just as important, what it is not. She explores when intervention is essential and when kids should be given the freedom to fend for themselves. She also dispels persistent myths: that girls bully more than boys, that online and in-person bullying are entirely distinct, that bullying is a common cause of suicide, and that harsh criminal penalties are an effective deterrent. Above all, she believes that to deal with the problem, we must first understand it.

Blending keen journalistic and narrative skills, Bazelon explores different facets of bullying through the stories of three young people who found themselves caught in the thick of it. Thirteen-year-old Monique endured months of harassment and exclusion before her mother finally pulled her out of school. Jacob was threatened and physically attacked over his sexuality in eighth grade—and then sued to protect himself and change the culture of his school. Flannery was one of six teens who faced criminal charges after a fellow student’s suicide was blamed on bullying and made international headlines. With grace and authority, Bazelon chronicles how these kids’ predicaments escalated, to no one’s benefit, into community-wide wars. Cutting through the noise, misinformation, and sensationalism, she takes us into schools that have succeeded in reducing bullying and examines their successful strategies. The result is a groundbreaking book that will help parents, educators, and teens themselves better understand what kids are going through today and what can be done to help them through it.

Order on Amazon today!

Is Your Child A Bully?

This is a fantastic short video that gets straight to the point with parents about the possibility about your child being a bully.

With all the talk of bullying prevention, what do you do if your child is the one that needs preventing? Parenting Expert Dr.  Michele Borba doles out some tough love for the bully's parents.

Brought to you by Kids In The House, a new website full of educational resources and advice for parents from experts. Follow them on Twitter and join them on Facebook.

The Essential 6 R's of Bullying Prevention

By Dr. Michele Borba

Michele offers proven ways to stop peer cruelty. Her proposal to End School Violence (SB1667) was passed into California law. She has worked with hundreds of schools to reduce bullying and create compassionate, just learning climates.

Free 32 page download of Dr. Borba's training manual 6 R's of Effective Bullying Prevention, and be sure to watch the companion video below:
(click to download)  

 Watch Dr. Michele Borba's 20 minute Keynote speech on the 6 R's of Bullying Prevention.

Visit www.micheleborba.com and follow her on Twitter.

Bullied: What Every Parent, Teacher, and Kid Needs to Know About Ending the Cycle of Fear

By Carrie Goldman

Carrie Goldman became an unexpected voice for the antibullying movement after her blog post about her daughter Katie's bullying experience went viral and an online community of support generated international attention.

In Bullied, Goldman brings together the expertise of leading authorities with the candid accounts of families dealing firsthand with peer victimization to present proven strategies and concrete tools for teaching children how to speak up and carry themselves with confidence; call each other out on cruelty; resolve conflict; cope with teasing, taunting, physical abuse, and cyberbullying; and be smart consumers of technology and media. As a mother, she calls on us all—families, schools, communities, retailers, celebrities, and media—to fiercely examine our own stereotypes and embrace our joint responsibility for creating a culture of acceptance and respect.

For parents, educators, and anyone still wrestling with past experiences of victimization and fear, Bullied is an eye-opening, prescriptive, and ultimately uplifting guide to raising diverse, empathetic, tolerant kids in a caring and safe world.

At least 25 percent of kids have been bullied online. One in five teens has been bullied at school. More than half of bullying behaviors will stop in less than ten seconds when another student intervenes.

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BARE - Bully Awareness Resistance Education

BARE, Bullying Awareness Resistance Education, Inc., or “BARE” for short, is a nonprofit corporation designed to meet the growing challenge of bullying in the schools and local community. We are organized under California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation laws and present a variety of services to schools and communities that need to take control of both physical and emotional violence. Our services include providing professional speakers to give presentations, educator training, and working with students and community leaders to further knowledge of effective anti-bully strategies and tactics. In addition, our online resources serve as a cornerstone for interested parties to learn more about how to stop bullying.

The BARE team is comprised of professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds, such as former and current educators, published writers, forensic economists, attorneys, and other occupations. The thread that unites our organization is a dedication to providing the awareness and knowledge needed to make our communities and schools free from the damaging acts of bullying. With our combined experience and training, we have a deep understanding of the psychological motivations for bullying behavior and the best way to counter the manifestations of these psychological issues.

BARE provides valuable programs that make a difference in your school climate.  BARE does not just come once and disappear.  BARE continues to support and encourage you as long as you let us.  BARE has engaging speakers and presenters, facilitators, and volunteers because we DARE TO CARE.

Visit BARE online.

The Bully Vaccine: How to Innoculate Yourself Against Obnoxious People

By Jennifer Hancock

This book is designed to help parents vaccinate their kids against bullies and other obnoxious petty people. By preparing for them in advance you can effectively inoculate yourself against the worst of their behavior. The goal is to not be the sort of person a bully targets. It is much easier to prevent bullying than it is to stop it once it starts. If you or your child are trying to cope with bullying that is persistent, egregious and/or ongoing, this book will teach how to stop the bullying from continuing.

It isn't easy, but it can be done if you know how. This book provides very specific and practical information on how exactly to go about ending bullying. The more you understand about the dynamic of what is happening, the better able you will be able to help your child navigate the social situations they find themselves in. And the sooner you teach them these skills, the better off they are going to be. Regardless of your child's age, this book can help you teach your child the practical skills they need to cope with the bullies they will encounter in life. It is never too young to start. No parent wants to see their kid suffer. If you want to learn how to protect your child, this book will help you teach them the specific skills they need to be successfully inoculated against bullying.

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Devoted to Me: A Better Me - A Better You - A Better World

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror. I'm asking him to change his ways. And no message could have been any clearer. If you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself and then make that change." - Michael Jackson

Devoted to Me

The concept is simple yet has the power to transform the world in which we live in. The mission at Devoted to Me is to inspire people of all ages, especially our young, all over the world to look within for who they are.

The concept is simple yet has the power to transform the world in which we live in. The mission at Devoted to Me is to inspire people of all ages, especially our young, all over the world to look within for who they are.

Devoted to Me is a journey within to discover for our own self how to know, feel and embrace the person we are at this moment.  It is to encourage us to understand that anything we will ever be, we already are.

The hope is that we realize that the strong, capable, beautiful, confident person we are longing to be has been within us all along.  And once the shift has taken place we will rid our world of the many issues that are plaguing our teens and even younger children.  Gone would be the bullies and their victims, replaced with acceptance for each other.

Abuse of any kind would not survive because of the strength revealed. Obesity would diminish because souls would be fed. Self-mutilation would dissipate into self-love. On the other side would be respectful, responsible individuals with an understanding that we are all accountable for what we bring and the choices we make in the world we live in.

The dream is an ambitious one.  The road for some may be long and winding and for others a bit easier but the power to effect change lives within all of us no matter the age or obstacles that are before us.
Devoted to Me begins with me and continues to you.  Accept it.  Pass it on.

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The Mom Pledge Blog

Take the Pledge!

Coming together to end cyber bullying and foster respect among moms. That is our mission. This is our community.

The Mom Pledge is about bloggers standing up, speaking out, and coming together to eradicate online bullying of moms by other moms. The time has come for us to take the power back and own this issue. Taking The Pledge is easy. 

All you have to do is: 

1) Read The Pledge and commit to its principles 
2) Post the Take the Pledge badge prominently on your blog 
3) Add your site to the blogroll on The Community page 
4) Write a post about what The Pledge means to you 
5) Spread the word and encourage other Mommy Bloggers to Take the Pledge!


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HEY, BACK OFF! Tips for Stopping Teen Harassment

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By Jennie Withers and Phyllis Hendrickson

Because of the recent alarming increase of tragic suicides among youths, the direct result of repeated harassment and taunting of school children, the United States Department of Education (DOE) released a nationwide appeal to Boards of Education addressing the growing harmful issue in our schools: bullying. Many states have now signed the “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights” to help ensure the physical and emotional well-being of today’s youth. Approximately 160,000 students in America and more worldwide avoid school each day because of the fear of bullying and 60 to 80 percent of schoolchildren face harassment intimidation.

For More Info: Website – Facebook – Twitter and 4 Teachers

Listen to CyberhoodWatch recent BlogTalk Radio Show with Jennie Wirthers!

Order today on Amazon!

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life

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By James Patterson, Laura Parker, Chris Tebbetts

"Rafe Khatchadorian has enough problems at home without throwing his first year of middle school and the school bully Miller (aka Miller the Killer) into the mix. Luckily, he's got an ace plan for the best year ever, if only he can pull it off: With his best friend Leonardo the Silent awarding him points, Rafe tries to break every rule in his school's oppressive Code of Conduct.

But when Rafe's game starts to catch up with him, he'll have to decide if winning is all that matters, or if he's finally ready to face the rules, bullies, and truths he's been avoiding. "

Read More at http://middleschoolbook.com/


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Bullies 2 Buddies

Is your child being bullied in school? Are you angry because the school is failing to make the bullying stop? Or are you furious because the school is accusing your child of being a bully?

If you have found that everything you and your school are doing to make bullying stop isn’t working, you have come to the right place! Bullies to Buddies™ has materials and services that really work!

Learn more at www.Bullies2Buddies.com and become an educated parent!

GAPRA: Global Alliance for Preventing Relational Aggression

Welcome Schools and Youth Organizations!

You Know the Devastating Effect Relational Aggression (RA), or Emotional Bullying, Can Have in Your School or Youth Organization. Are You Ready to Equip Your Staff, Volunteers, and Parents with Tools to Reduce Relational Aggression in Your Community?

Relational Aggression Causes Emotional Suffering

This unproductive behavior frequently:

• Wastes opportunities for growth and learning
• Steals time
• Causes dropout behavior
• Decreases attendance
• Leads to eating disorders, self-mutilation, depression or suicide
• Leaves lasting emotional scars

The Solution: Train Everyone in Your School or Youth Organization

Training your staff, volunteers and parents to recognize relational aggression and to know how to effectively deal with it will have a positive influence on your youth.

Membership in GAPRA Equips Your School or Organization with Training, Tools and Support – Without Having to Leave Town!

When your school or youth organization joins GAPRA, you equip everyone in your community with the knowledge and skills to prevent relational aggression through monthly training opportunities, CDs, transcripts and checklists/forms/templates.

You, your group leaders, parents, counselors, teachers, administrators and others will learn a common language and positive framework to proactively address relational aggression.

Empower Your Community to Think and Work Together to Support Your Youth From Every Angle. Join GAPRA Now!

GAPRA membership is affordable.

Learn more about how an annual GAPRA membership will help your community.

Third Annual BLUE SHIRT DAY™ -WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION

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Love Our Children USA announced today the Third Annual BLUE SHIRT DAY™ - WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION to kickoff National Bullying Prevention Awareness month during October. The Blue Shirt Day™- World Day of Bullying Prevention is an initiative of STOMP Out Bullying™ to combat bullying and cyberbullying.

This time of year should be an exciting time for students returning to school …learning, seeing old friends and making new ones; but the reality for many is often very different. They're the victims of bullying at school, on playgrounds and online. They’re afraid to go to school for fear of being bullied.

To signify the importance of National Bullying Prevention Awareness month, STOMP Out Bullying™, a signature program of Love Our Children USA™, created Blue Shirt Day™- World Day of Bullying Prevention which is observed on the first Monday of October. On this day, we ask kids and adults alike to make Monday, October 3rd, the day that bullying prevention is heard around the world by wearing a Blue Shirt in solidarity to STOMP Out Bullying.

With the new school year beginning, this is a call to action for students, schools and workplaces across the country. Hundreds of schools across the country have agreed to participate and many more are expected to join.
This year’s campaign not only offers a newly designed “limited edition” blue shirt, it will create an even greater awareness with a PSA. The PSA will air on major TV and cable networks, as well as online.
Ross Ellis, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of STOMP Out Bullying™ said: "Kids who are intimidated, threatened, or harmed by bullies and cyberbullies often experience low self-esteem and depression. Some take their lives as an alternative. Many do not understand how extreme bullying can get. Parents, teachers and school administrators must use sensitivity in handling these issues. They must also work to make the victims more resilient, as well as working to help change the behavior of the bully. Schools can no longer sweep the issue under the rug."

STOMP Out Bullying™ offers students a safe haven. From information and resources, to an online area where youths can talk about the issue, to getting involved in social media efforts, signing a petition, raising awareness, Blue Shirt Day and celebrity PSAs and a HelpChat Line for kids and teens who are bullied, cyberbullied and at-risk for suicide, and a soon to be launched area where students can upload videos about their experiences with bullying and why they want to end bullying.

We ask kids, teens and adults to participate BLUE SHIRT DAY™- WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION by wearing the STOMP Out Bullying™ “limited edition” blue shirt or wear their own blue shirt.
And from September 29th – October 19th the biggest celebrities will participate in the Fourth Annual STOMP Out Bullying Auction on charitybuzz.com. Some of last year’s celebrities include: Paul McCartney, Elton John, Bill Joel, Bette Midler, Ellen Degeneres, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Dancing With the Stars and Tom Bergeron, American Idol and a host of other very notable stars.

Ellis said: "We are so grateful to all of our partners joining us in this fight to STOMP Out Bullying. Bullying can be so painful and clearly has played a role in recent suicides across the country. And cyberbullying is in full force with the use of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and other sites popular with kids and teens. This social online cruelty is used by individuals or groups intending to harm our youth. Bullying starts as early as kindergarten. We have to look at prevention as a community issue. It’s up to parents, schools, law enforcement and the students to work together to educate and prevent – putting an end to the violence and to the suicides.”

The parents of Scott Walz, Sladjana Vidovic, Phoebe Prince, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, Jesse Logan, Hope Witsell (Florida), Ryan Halligan and all of the others who took their lives know only too well, because they their kids could no longer take the daily torment.

They might be here today if their schools had listened and taken a stand against all forms of bullying.Students should be educated about the harmful effects of bullying and cyberbullying. They can begin by observing and participating in National Bullying Prevention Awareness month and BLUE SHIRT DAY™- WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION.

Recent Statistics Show:

• 1 out of 4 kids is Bullied.
• Approximately 160000 kids stay home from school each day due to the fear of being bullied
• 43% of teens, 97% of middle schoolers and 47% of older teens 18-24 are cyberbullied
• 9 out of 10 LGBT students experienced harassment at school

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Beyond Bullies

Get involved today!

Beyond Bullies is the first online program in the United States, dedicated to helping teenagers who are the targets of bullying and cyberbullying, primarily through online and offline help from peer mentors.
Our Mission is to assist teens to become involved in leadership positions in their schools by providing opportunities for them to become aware, confident and caring role models.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The program allows teenagers who are targets of bullying and cyberbullying the ability to reach out to peer mentors online in private chat rooms, discussion boards and through e-mail. The program provides a safe space for teens to communicate what it’s like for them to go to school and be teased, physically intimidated, beaten up, socially excluded from their circle of friends or tormented online, through social networks, texts or the internet.

Many E-mentors who become peer mentors with Beyond Bullies, have overcome bullying and are now able to turn on their computers and go to school again. Peer mentors volunteer their time because they are supportive, caring, non-judgmental and open-minded.

Mentors specifically train to deal with difficult situations. They will not judge you. What you will get is someone who will read your emails, understand your concerns, and help you know what options are available.

Peer mentors and targets of bullying have been recruited from high schools in Los Angeles and the greater surrounding area. After being accepted into the online program and completing a training course, teens are required to mentor students for a minimum of at least one year. During this time, they will work one shift for three hours per week after school online on their personal computers. Arrangements will be made for students who do not have a personal computer.

The program helps students build character and integrity, which sets the stage for them to learn how to manage their feelings and have empathy and compassion for bullies, instead of becoming one.

Beyond Bullies is a project of Visions Made Viable, a 501c(3) organization.

Follow them on Twitter at @BeyondBullies

Learn more.

Peer Abuse Know More: Bullying From a Psychological Perspective

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Peer Abuse Know More!

By Elizabeth Bennett

Bullying from a Psychological Perspective takes the problem of bullying to a whole other dimension. As bullying has been a problem since the beginning of time, it has been only recently that society has started to learn about the dangers of it in the schools and workplace. The book begins with a history and update on recent statistics of bullying today.

The different types of bullying in adults and children are discussed along with stories shared by many who have lived this nightmare. Also, we learn of the term "Peer Abuse" and how to make the transition from the term bullying and what is behind a name.

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Recent Press Release.