Don’t Be A Monster!

October is Anti-Bullying Month

One of the scariest things for kids about going to school is encountering a bully.  We at KeepnTrack are Anti-Bullying advocates with the help of our friends at Don’t Be Monster, a non-profit organization based out of Denver, CO.  Don’t Be a Monster brings Frank to life through an anti-bullying assembly for students in grades 4^th-10^th. The presentation is 45 minutes long and includes defining bullying behaviors and tips on how to be an “Upstander” to thwart bullying.  The cost for the presentation is free in most regions.  For more information about the organization or to book an assembly please visit their FAQ page at http://dontbeamonster.org/faq/

Frank isn’t a monster; let’s work together to keep kids from becoming monsters too.

Tips to Stop Bullying

Address before there’s even a problem.

1. Talk to your kids/students about what bullying behavior entails.  Sometimes kids believe what they’re doing is just “joking around” and don’t understand when their “joke” goes too far and is causing harm.
2. Let your kids/students know who they can talk to if they feel they are being bullied.  Oftentimes, they don’t want to be the “tattle-tale” so they try to deal with the situation themselves, which can lead to more problems.  Come up with ways to stop the issue without the victim feeling like they will be exposed.
3. Establish school rules and policies to be posted in the classrooms so the students can be reminded of them every day.

Train teachers, school faculty, bus drivers, and parents about how to deal with bullying.

1. Make sure everyone knows the federal and your state’s anti-bullying laws.  Send home a newsletter to parents about the school’s anti-bullying policies.
2. If everyone is on the same page about a situation, problems can be resolved much quicker.

Stop bullying on the spot. 

1. Intervene immediately. It is ok to get another adult to help.
2. Separate the kids involved.
3. Make sure everyone is safe.
4. Meet any immediate medical or mental health needs.
5. Stay calm. Reassure the kids involved, including bystanders.
6. Model respectful behavior when you intervene.
7. Don’t ignore it. Don’t think kids can work it out without adult help.
8. Don’t immediately try to sort out the facts.
9. Don’t force other kids to say publicly what they saw.
10. Don’t question the children involved in front of other kids.
11. Don’t talk to the kids involved together, only separately.
12. Don’t make the kids involved apologize or patch up relations on the spot.

Bullying is a real problem.  But together we can stop it and create a safer learning environment for our kids.  To learn more visit stopbullying.gov.