This Week is Anti-Bullying Week

While it is true, this week is Anti-Bullying Week, all weeks should be Anti-Bullying Weeks. A child I dearly love is dealing with bullying at school - it is so frustrating, sad, and heart-breaking when someone you love is bullied. So, today, and every day be sure to communicate how much you love the children in your live AND be crystal clear in communicating to them how bullying anyone is NEVER acceptable.

Part of Anti-Bullying efforts includes Odd Socks Day (which is next

Monday, November 18th.) Odd Socks Day celebrates diversity and helps raise awareness. I will write more about this next week, but please plan to join in by getting odd socks, giving them to your family members, and planning to wear them on the 18th. The idea is we are all "odd", different and this is a wonderful thing! This is a link to the socks I ordered which are arriving today (aren't they fun!) which I plan to give to my family members this coming Sunday!

So as we think about loving the children in our lives and helping them to never bully anyone, consider these facts - 

• In 2008 California enacts the first law against cyber-bullying in the U.S.
• In 2011 New Jersey schools adopt the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights.
• People wear pink colored shirts on this day to stand against bullying.
• Anti-Bullying Week raises awareness of bullying and discusses ways to prevent and respond to it.
• Wearing odd socks symbolizes our differences. It's a subtle way to say that people should be themselves and that we should accept one another by celebrating our differences.
• Almost 160,000 teenagers have skipped school because of bullying. 
• 57% of bullying situations stop when peers intervene on behalf of the bullied student.
• Older students are less likely to report bullying incidents, which is why it's so essential for others to intervene on their behalf.
• Verbal harassment is the most common form of bullying at 79%, followed by social harassment at 50%, physical bullying at 29%, and cyberbullying at 25%.

"Though bullying affects millions and often leaves its victims feeling hopeless, it's a problem we can tackle. By challenging it, we change it. It all starts by reaching out." You will find more information about Anti-Bullying Week at this link.