Stop the cycle of Bullying

I receive tidbits of information via my email in box, and about a week ago I received a note saying that the week of January 24-28 is No Name-Calling Week. This is to encourage schools and other institutions, programs, etc., to talk with children and teach them that bullying is not acceptable, but to also talk about other issues, such as self-esteem. I have learned that bullying can happen in many forms, from the obvious, such as being taunted, teased, and physically hurt. But there are other forms of bullying, such as being intentionally excluded from an activity or group of people. There's also another side of bullying: the silent witness. Children who witness another child being bullied should make the situation known to an adult so that the issue can be dealt with immediately.
Interestingly, parents don't want to do anything about bullying if their child is the one causing the problems. Last year I spoke to the mother of an older child who had been taunting his younger brother, and my son as well, who is 8. Long story short, she didn't want to hear anything about it, basically thought it was none of my business, and decided that my son couldn't play with his friend, the younger brother. Sigh.. is all I can say to that. My older son, who is 17, also had issues with a boy who was taunting him when they were in middle school. Sad to say, I didn't find out about this until it had gone on for 3 weeks. The issue was finally dealt with, but unfortunately, this bully decided to take his frustrations out on a much younger boy at a school playground one day.
Although this may not seem like a "Story Time Adventures" program, I'm making it one. Our community is taking part in a no-bullying program with three schools in Hollister, Ca., where I live. They are Cerra Vista Elementary School, Sunny Slope, and San Juan School. I am doing a program for Story Time Adventures about bullying, reading books such as 'The Recess Queen,' by Alexis O'Neill. The story is about Mean Jean, the reigning Recess Queen, and how she rules the playground, until another child at the school finds a way to become Jean's friend and how Jean becomes much nicer. There are also other books that are about bullying, such as Don't Be a Bully, Billy, by Phil Roxbee Cox; and Kevin Henkes book, "Chrysanthemum," which tells the story of a young girl who is teased by classmates because her name is so different.
I will be presenting my "No Name-Calling" program at the YMCA after school program in Hollister, but I'm available to do presentations throughout the area as well. Even if your school isn't doing a program for that week, pick up some books and read them to your children about the bullying issue, and have a frank discussion with him or her. Reading can always be fun, but you can also throw in a lesson or two!
Happy Reading!
Julie Engelhardt
Jengelha@aol.com