Parenting

Confessions of a Former Bully

1189
14 years
by in assertiveness, Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, bullying, cyberbullying, friends, internet, kids, online, Parenting

In Friendship & Other Weapons, I feature an activity for girls based on Trudy Ludwig’s fantastic book, My Secret Bully.  The book is all about how bullying can be disguised as friendship and how particularly painful this type of subtle, hidden, “I Was Just Kidding” aggression can be.  My Secret Bully also offers kids great insights into how to cope with bullying effectively, from sharing experiences with trusted adults to standing up for themselves.  I love it–a definite favorite!

Trudy Ludwig’s most recent book, Confessions of a Former Bully, also provides great ideas and insights for handling bullying.  The following blog post, from the School Counselor Blog, talks about an activity that one school counselor has developed, based on Ludwig’s new work:

http://www.schcounselor.com/2011/09/i-made-bully-hat.html#comment-form

Pretty’s Got Nothing To Do With It

4
14 years
by in Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, kids, media messages, Parenting

You may have heard the furor over JC Penny’s recent back-to-school T-Shirt for girls that read, “I’m Too Pretty to do My Homework, So My Brother Has to do it for Me.”

Check out Pigtail Pals’ response, via their newest T-shirt design for little girls:

http://margotmagowan.wordpress.com/2011/09/12/the-t-shirt-thats-changing-the-world/

How to Help Kids Handle Big Feelings

168
14 years
by in anger, assertiveness, Being a Mom, kids, Parenting

This is a great post from Kidlutions: Solutions for Kids.  It talks about how easy it is to say the wrong thing, even when you have the right intentions…but also how simple it can be to validate a child’s big feelings and teach him or her how to cope with them.

 

Personally, as a mom of a girl whose intense temperament makes her a force to be reckoned with–in both good and challenging ways–I can”t wait to read the follow up Part 2!

 

http://www.facebook.com/notes/kidlutions-solutions-for-kids/you-dont-really-feel-that-waypart-i/10150290610751889

What Moms Can Do About Mean Girls

6
14 years
by in assertiveness, Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, bullying, cyberbullying, friends, kids, Parenting, parents

Not only is Maggie Lamond Simone a hilariously funny writer with great insights into parenting, but she’s also a redhead.  What’s not to love?

Check out her great article on “Mean Girls” from the Huff Post.  Apparently, she and I have more in common than just the hair; in her article and in Friendship & Other Weapons, we both write about parents helping kids cope with bullying by teaching them critical skills, such as standing up for themselves, reaching out to others who are being bullied, championing what they like about themselves, and not tolerating meanness.

 

“If we help our girls develop/retain their self-esteem, there’s a better chance they will be neither bully nor victim.”

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maggie-lamond-simone/mean-girls_b_937810.html?icid=maing-grid10|htmlws-main-bb|dl16|sec1_lnk3|92426

A Bullied Girl Reclaims Her Power: Chatari Jones on the Today Show

0
14 years
by in building self-esteem in girls, bullying, Parenting, parents

I dare you not to tear up as you watch Chatari Jones talk about her experiences of being bullied and the life lessons she has taken from her ordeal.  What a remarkable young girl.  I remember her situation well and think all parents can identify with her father’s feelings of outrage, mixed with helplessness.

 
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

New Anti-Bullying Laws Enacted In New Jersey

192
14 years
by in building self-esteem in girls, bullying, cyberbullying, online, Parenting

“Today is one of the most important civil-rights days in New Jersey history,” said New Jersey Garden State Equality Chairman Steven Goldstein of the new anti-bullying laws just enacted yesterday.  It’s a positive step for sure…

 

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/nj_gov_christie_approves_tough.html

‘Odd Girl Out’ tackles bullying in the digital age

609
14 years
by in building self-esteem in girls, bullying, cyberbullying, Facebook, friends, internet, kids, online, Parenting

‘Odd Girl Out’ tackles bullying in the digital age.

Rachel Simmons did a great interview this morning on the Today Show, talking about girls & cyberbullying.  Always great to hear from her…always frightening to think about the parenting perils ahead of me, raising two daughters.

3 Ways to Help Your Daughter Understand & Withstand Media Influences

1290
14 years
by in assertiveness, Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, bullying, internet, kids, media messages, online, Parenting

Messages embedded in song lyrics, video imagery, and advertising influence the ways girls think about themselves and their relationships with others. You can help your daughters–and other young girls–become aware of media messages that violate values and degrade girls, using these engaging conversations and activities: (more…)

How to Help Your Daughter Develop Leadership Skills

937
14 years
by in assertiveness, Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, Parenting

Check out this great article from Dr. Michelle Borba, based on research from the Girl Scouts of America.  Great tips, practical strategies, and important reminders for parents on how to help our daughters become confident leaders.

Most importantly: Be the change you want to see in your daughter’s life.

http://www.micheleborba.com/blog/2011/07/05/michele-borba-helping-girls-become-confident-leaders-based-on-the-girl-scouts-research/

Do Anti-Bullying Programs work?

488
14 years
by in assertiveness, Being a Mom, building self-esteem in girls, bullying, cyberbullying, Parenting

I love this post by blogger Sue Scheff and agree 100% with her thought that the most effective anti-bullying programs are those that aim to teach social and emotional coping strategies for handling bullying, rather than those that rely on “zero tolerance” policies or focus exclusively on the bully. (more…)

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Signe Whitson is an author and educator on bullying, crisis intervention, and child and adolescent emotional and behavioral health. In her articles, books, and training workshops, Signe provides down-to-earth, practical advice for professionals and parents on navigating the daily challenges of living and working with children, tweens and teens.

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