Here at Sit With A Kid, we obviously (see our motto) believe in spending time laughing, playing, and reading together. Teaching kindness by example is the best way we know to prevent bullying. That said, let’s start with the bad.

Did you know…

• 1 in 4 kids are bullied at school?
• 40% of children report being cyber-bullied?
• each day 160,000 students miss school for fear of being bullied?
• 1 in 10 children drops out of school every year due to bullying.

That is a crazy, horrible statistic. I wish I could un-know it, but I wish even more that it wasn’t true.

So, I could quote more stats, or we could talk about what a great idea it is to have a month of awareness for 10% of our children. I salute whoever came up with this idea.

There are 11 other months this year in which we should be strong in our kindness and compassion, but this month especially: wear orange to raise awareness, pay a compliment, don’t be a bystander, make peace, hold hands, and remember, one kind word from you can ROCK SOMEONE’S WORLD. 

In the last page of our book, the gorilla has a choice. He can choose to turn the turtle’s world right side up…or not. I challenge all of you to be the gorilla and make the choice you know needs to be made.

Some believe it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found.  It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay.  Small acts of kindness and love. –Gandalf

 

To learn more about how to participate this month, visit PACER’s site (National Bullying Prevention Center)

Filed under: SWAK Publishing