Category Archives: bullying prevention

Look at your feet to beat back to school stress

Back to school can be a stressful time for kids that are bullied. I have put together some ideas to help you reduce your stress and move forward.

A Tip to beat back to school stress

Look at your feet to beat stress (that means get active)

Most people agree that if you are feeling stress, you need to get moving. One guy told me that anytime he feels stress, he looks at his feet. He means he reminds himself he needs to get moving. He goes on a quick walk or jog, or he gets up and starts doing anything that comes to mind. He just gets moving.

Inner, personal thoughts cause stress. I believe in taking control of inner thoughts as much as possible. That may sound crazy to you, but did you know we can actually take control of our own thoughts? Any time you start feeling stressed out about going back to school, just repeat a line in your head like this one:

In an easy and relaxed manner, in a healthy and positive way,
I am comfortable and happy at this very moment.

The words easy / relaxed / positive / comfortable / happy will start to subconsciously tell your brain to be this way. This is not a new idea, but it can have a very powerful effect, especially if you memorize the two lines and just say them over and over in your mind, any time your mind is stressing you out.

If you want to give this idea a try, you can do an on-line search for mantras. That is the name for a phrase you repeat over and over in your mind to take control of your thought process.

Don’t get bogged down though, because a lot of information about mantras is spiritual or in other languages. Mantras don’t need to be confusing or complicated. Just put some words together that make you feel good like I’ve suggested above. Stay away from words like tension or stress or bully. In other words don’t make a mantra like “I won’t be stressed and I will block out tension. I will not allow people to bully me”. The problem with that mantra is that the brain will hear the words stress / tension & bully and it won’t have a positive effect.

Usually stress comes from negative thoughts in your mind. If you can replace those negative thoughts with positive thoughts, you can start to take charge of your thought process and leave a lot of your stress behind.

Of course, some stress is completely normal. If you didn’t stress out a little about certain things, you might not achieve much. Some people say certain kinds of stress are good because it gets us moving and we take action.

Too much stress is when things get dicey. Health problems can start, like upset stomach or headaches or rashes. They say the list is endless. Rather than thinking about stress, why not think about relaxed living.

Of course, these ideas are my personal opinions, but I have found the suggestions can really make a difference and actually reduce stress quite a bit. If you found them helpful, please leave me a quick reply.

Bruce Langford is a bullying prevention advocate who speaks and presents anti-bullying assemblies in schools  http://www.standupnow.ca

Earth Day reminds us to consider what matters around us

Be willing to speak up in support of maintaining nature’s systems that make our earth so magnificent.  Treat the earth with consideration.
Do your part every day to make the earth a better place.

EARTH DAY is a day to consider the gift our earth gives us
including clean air to breathe and fresh water to enjoy.

We must preserve these gifts by all working together to maintain the natural resources the earth provides.

We must also work together to keep our relationships on track and
to maintain feelings of appreciation and thoughtfulness. Speak up when
something needs to be said. See a little of yourself in others and you will be
more understanding and sensitive to their needs. Doing these things will help to
keep your relationships filled with respect. Bit by bit the concept of bullying will become even more abhorrent than it already is. Beat bullying by building respect and living it everyday just as we celebrate Earth Day by showing respect to our planet.

Bruce Langford, bullying prevention advocate www.brucelangford.ca

3 Amazing Quotes which offer Bullying Advice to those being Bullied

“It gets better. It seems hard, you know, I think being different is always gonna be a tough climb. There’s always gonna be people that are scared of it. But at the end of the day you give those bullies, those people, that are so ignorant, if you give them the power to affect you, you’re letting them win. And they don’t deserve that. What you’re doing by being yourself is you’re keeping it real, and you’re being really brave.”
Adam Lambert

“When people see you’re happy doing what you’re doing, it sort of takes the power away from them to tease you about it.”
Wendy Mass, Every Soul A Star

“With ignorance comes fear- from fear comes bigotry. Education is the key to acceptance.”
Kathleen Patel, The Bullying Epidemic-the guide to arm you for the fight

Bruce Langford , anti-bullying advocate and speaker www.brucelangford.ca

 

Parent Reaching Out Grants for Bullying Prevention Programs

Government subsidies can help with bullying  prevention. Parent Reaching Out (PRO) Grants for Ontario School Councils are available for 2012 to help increase parent involvement in support of student achievement and well-being. Be sure to apply for 2013 funding once the applications are released, so that you can use your funds for a good cause within your school. Many school councils choose to fund bullying prevention programs as well as purchase anti-bullying books and resources for their school libraries. We have delivered many bullying prevention programs in schools, made possible with the funding from the Ontario Government’s Parent Reaching Out grants.

Great feedback has been received from parents, teachers, principals and students. Here are some comments:

“Bruce Langford’s Stand Up Now programs were excellent, filled with valuable content of benefit to our students. I would gladly endorse this program.”
Ms. Marika Boshyk, Principal St. Demetrius Catholic School Toronto  Toronto Catholic District School Board

“I was impressed with how each presentation was tailored to the needs and interest level of each division. The presentations were creative and interactive and they certainly captured the attention of the students. Thank you again for addressing such an important topic in such an engaging manner.”
Ms. Kim Moses, Teacher Trillium Woods Public School, Richmond Hill  York Region District School Board

“Bruce, we loved your interactive approach with the audience during your presentations, giving our students an opportunity to voice their concerns around bullying through the question and answer portion of the assembly. Your presentation fostered a comfort level with the students that encourage them to be open and honest during the assembly, qualities that tend to be lost when dealing with issues of bullying.”
Claudio Moschella (Acting VP) Earnscliffe Senior Public School, Bramption Peel District School Board

Bruce Langford offers bullying prevention presentations for schools and parent groups
www.standupagainstbullying.com  Phone 905-233-2102

Were Steve Jobs, Tom Cruise, Cher, Bill Gates and Albert Einstein bullied?

Steve JobsA little known secret about Steve Jobs is that he had a learning disability in the form of dyslexia. Sadly, special needs students are often bullied. In fact people who are different are frequently bullied and many times special needs children are perceived as being different. Children with special needs may be dyslexic as in the case of Steve Jobs or they may be autistic. They could also have ADD (attention deficit disorder), ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), have a visual or auditory impairment, or be gifted.

There are many examples of famous people who had special needs, yet were able to compensate for their challenges. Some examples of famous people with dyslexia are: Tom Cruise, Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Cher, John Lennon, Sir Richard Branson and Steven Spielberg. Other famous people with learning disabilities are: Winston Churchill, Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison.

In many classrooms there are children who are very protective of their special needs classmates. However, sometimes special needs students suffer relentless bullying.

We can all help special needs students achieve success by making sure they are not bullied, and by creating a classroom culture of protection. After all, special needs children often have amazing talents and abilities as the list above indicates. Remember, Stand Up Against Bullying in every school classroom, home and community!

Bruce Langford is a bullying prevention advocate who teaches peace strategies.  www.standupagainstbullying.com

 

Simcoe County District School Board School Welcomes Anti-Bullying Speaker, Bruce Langford

Simcoe County School in Barrie OntarioWest Bayfield Elementary School in Barrie was our destination today, where we presented ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ and ‘Cyberbullying – Got 2 Go’ assemblies to all students from JK to grade 8. Students were passionate about the topic. They were eager to learn as much as Stand Up at West Bayfield Elementarythey could about the internet and the dangers of cyberspace. They told stories and acted out scenarios. The Simcoe County District School Board has raised awareness that dangers lurk in cyberspace. Students just wanted to learn the details.Honesty is a virtue

We talked about how GPS encoding is embedded in photographs taken on many cell phones and how it can reveal exactly when the photo was taken. One student told us a story about how his facebook account Caring Poster in Barrie Ontariohad been hacked into and the violator set up another facebook account which was an exact duplicate of his own. The student had good news about the outcome. He was actually able to have the offending site removed, because he was able to get into it himself and have it Stand Up Artworkdeleted.

We were impressed when we arrived at the school, because students had posted visual artwork on the topic of ‘Caring’ and ‘Stand Up’ and how we can all stand together to trump bullying. I’ve included some of the photos here along with a short video.

Students, teachers and administrators told us how pleased they were with the three contrasting assemblies.

“Presentations were entertaining, insightful, and age appropriate. They were thoroughly enjoyed by all of our students and they learned a great from them. I would highly recommend Bruce’s presentations for any school.”
Mike Geer, Principal, West Bayfield Elementary School, Barrie Ontario

Bruce Langford, Anti-bullying advocate and international speaker presenter: www.brucelangford.ca

 

Toronto area elementary school dedicated to student bullying prevention

Trillium Woods bannerToday we visited Trillium Woods Public School in Toronto area (Richmond Hill). Stand Up Against Bullying was presented three times to the various divisions. Students and staff responded with interest and enthusiasm.

Teacher, Kim Moses e-mailed us this immediate positive response:
“Hi Bruce, I just wanted to say thank you again for coming to our school. I was impressed with how each presentation was tailored to the needs and interest Ontario's official flowerlevel of each division. The presentations were creative and interactive and they certainly captured the attention of the students. Thank you again for addressing such an important topic in such an engaging manner. Take care.
Kimberley Moses, Teacher Trillium Woods Public School, Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Toronto area schools could all learn from how bullying prevention is handled at Trillium Woods School.

I want to share with you, The Trillium Woods Pledge:Pledge Trillium Woods Public School

At Trillium Woods Public School we respect ourselves, each other and our environment. We are responsible for what we say and do. We feel safe at our school. We speak up for ourselves and for others. We help each other without being asked. At Trillium Woods, nous respectons la diversitè. At Trillium Woods we can succeed.

Trillium Woods Public School is part of the York Region District School Board

Bruce Langford is a teacher, presenter and anti-bullying advocate who delivers talks, presentations and keynotes on the topic of bullying and respect.
www.standupnow.ca

I pledge to stop bullying and not be a bystander (St. Thomas V.I.)

Sugar Bay Resort Stand Up Against Bullying Youth Summit 2012A student report:
Today we went to the U.S. Virgin Islands Youth Summet at SugarBay Resort and Spa. There were about 300 5th and 6th graders. We are all from the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Education Schools.
We watched BennyDL go live on ATFM radio broadcasting directly from SugarBay Resort. He talked to callers, sang songs and talked about bullying prevention. BennyDL is a DJ but his real name is Bruce Langford.
Later we watched videos & talked about the issues related to bullying. We got into groups with students from other schools. Some of us made up poems and songs about bullying and what to do. Some of us made up role-plays and skits about bullying. Some groups presented to everyone.
We put our ideas together into one pledge we believed in. The pledge we came up with is simple:

Our Stop Bullying Pledge
I pledge to stop bullying and not be a bystander.
I will lend a helping hand to others to help keep our communities safe.

Students from 7th to 12th grade also met and came up with the following vow:

The U.S. Virgin Islands Anti-bullying Vow
We solemnly vow to abolish bullying!
We hereby declare we will use our courage and strength
to not be a bystander,
but instead be a leader, take action and to take a stand.
School Speaker

Bruce Langford is an international presenter and anti-bullying advocate   www.brucelangford.ca

All Saints Cathedral School welcomes Canadian anti-bullying advocate Bruce Langford

All Saints Cathedral School U.S. Virgin IslandsAll Saints Cathedral School, located in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands has a history of excellence dating back over eight decades. Their tradition of setting high standards was obvious during our visit to present bullying prevention assemblies on Tuesday.
All Saints students contributed to the interactive assemblies with thoughtful comments relating to the topic of respect and safe schools. The spiritual and moral values of the students shone through during the visit.
One of the high points was when an obviously dedicated and passionate teacher shared a packet with us she had created with her students called ‘Stop the Violence and Increase the Peace’. Packed with tips, advice, puzzles, articles and ideas about safe schools and preventing bullying, the resource is obviously the outcome of much hard work.

These Five Startling Bullying Facts are taken from the packet:
1/ 15% of all school absenteeism is directly related to fears of being bullied at school
2/ 71% of students report incidence of bullying as a problem at their school
3/ 282,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month
4/ 90% of 4th through 8th graders report being victims of bullying
5/ 87% of students said shootings are motivated by a desire to “get back at those who have hurt them”

Following our presentations, All Saints principal, Ms. Barry left us with the following comment:
“Your presentations endorsed the same concepts we try to teach here at All Saints Cathedral School including the quality of respect, accepting the consequences of your actions, and acknowledging you are wrong.”
Mrs. Barry, Principal, All Saints Cathedral School, U.S. Virgin Islands

Bruce Langford, speaker & presenter of school programs to encourage respect and end bullying
www.StandUpForRespect.com

Anti-Bullying Pledge created by Fifth & Sixth Graders at Youth Summit US Virgin Islands 2012

I pledge to stop bullying and not be a bystander.
I will lend a helping hand to others to help keep our communities safe.

Pledge against bullying Virgin Islands K-6 Grade

Public Schools Pledge to stop bullying U.S. Virgin Islands K-6

Today we went to the U.S. Virgin Islands Youth Summet at SugarBay Resort and Spa. There were about 300 5th and 6th graders. We are all from the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Education Schools.

We watched BennyDL go live on ATFM radio broadcasting directly from SugarBay Resort. He talked to callers, sang songs and talked about bullying prevention. BennyDL is a DJ but his real name is Bruce Langford.

Later we watched videos & talked about the issues related to bullying.
We got into groups with students from other schools. Some of us made up poems and songs about bullying and what to do. Some of us made up role-plays and skits about bullying. Some groups presented to everyone.

We put our ideas together into one pledge we believed in. The pledge we came up with is simple:
I pledge to stop bullying and not be a bystander.
I will lend a helping hand to others to help keep our communities safe.

Here is some of our work:
Bullies are Bad
Bullies are bad,
They make people mad
Bullies are mean
They make my hair green
They never are seen
Since these are a team
Bullies are bad!!!
9 people walking end bullying

Bruce Langford – Programs to deal with bullying www.StandUpAgainstBullying.com

 

 

 

 

Youth Summit 2012 U.S. Virgin Islands Stand Up Against Bullying

U.S. Virgin Islands Vow To Abolish BullyingThe U.S. Virgin Islands Anti-bullying Vow
We solemnly vow to abolish bullying!
We hereby declare we will use our courage and strength to not be a bystander,
but instead be a leader, take action and to take a stand.

Be determined to reach your goals,
Have confidence, strength, belief
Power and stand up for your rights
Self-esteem might cause you to break
But you can always talk it out with a friend
Be strong, have courage and fight for your rights …
Cyber-bullying is not the way to go!!

Bullying
To come against bullying
We need power, determination and confidence
It affects you, it affects me and even society
It lead to destruction and something we can’t run from

Bullying
Determine to stand up for what is right … no matter the fight (bullying, verbal abuse)
We have the courage and the power to choose and decide the right reaction to a negative action.
No matter the content of your insults,We have the confidence to determine the results.
No matter the argument or the fight,
Once it’s against bullying, it’s always right.

What you have read above are samples of the work of seventh to twelfth graders; students in the United States Virgin Islands Department of Education Schools at their Stand Up Against Bullying Youth Summit, 2012 with presenter, Bruce Langford.

We created the island declaration against bullying seen at the top of the page.
Bravo students!!!! You should be proud.

Bruce Langford is currently in the U.S. Virgin Islands doing school presentations on the topic of bullying at the Stand Up Against Bullying Youth Summit 2012.
Visit his website at www.standupagainstbullying.com

Stand Up Against Bullying Youth Summit – U.S. Virgin Islands hosts anti-bullying advocate, Bruce Langford

I am heading to the U.S. Virgin Islands today to share the anti-bullying messages I have been teaching in Ontario for nine years. It is interesting that, after presenting bullying prevention assemblies at thirteen St. Thomas Ontario Schools, I now have the opportunity to share my stay-safe strategies in the other St. Thomas; Virgin Islands, that is.

I will be keeping you posted with the details. On Thursday I will have the honour of delivering a key-note address and workshops to over two hundred grade 7 to 12 students from the island’s public schools. On Friday I will offer a very different kind of key-note address to grade 5 and 6 students. I will be playing the role of DJ, BennyDL.
Stay tuned for more details.

Bruce Langford is BennyDL

BennyDL aka Bruce Langford


Contact Bruce at http://www.brucelangford.ca or 1-800-901-8831

Confidence can be your shield to ward off bullying: 4 Tips

Today I am offering four tips to protect yourself against bullying behaviors using your own abilities to build confidence.

To grow confidence, here is my advice:
1/ Have a purpose, a project or a goal. You may be surprised how this one tip will help you develop confidence.
2/ Block out negative thoughts and feelings. This can be tough, but we have the ability to control our own thoughts, so make sure they are positive, upbeat and encouraging ones.
3/ Be yourself. Try not to be phony or fake. Know yourself for who you are and don’t try to be something you’re not
4/ Be honest. This is huge. It will help you be yourself but it will also help you to feel good about yourself and be respected by others.

Bruce Langford offers workshops about virtues and bullying prevention – Stand Up Now Productions www.standupnow.ca

Catchy confidence song reminds you how to grow your own confidence

This song I wrote about confidence can get in your brain like a jingle you can’t forget. It will help you develop confidence because it has real advice which can work for anyone. Remember, you can be your own best coach. Encourage yourself and remind yourself you are doing fine. Listen to your own positive, upbeat encouraging words about how you are doing. Trust in yourself, focus on what you CAN do and LISTEN to you!

 Confidence Song – Copyright 2004 Bruce Langford

1. Confidence, confidence,
no matter how bad it gets confidence.
Determination – it can get you through.
Absolute belief in what you do.
Certainty and trust can do it for you.
Hang in, trust in yourself.

2. Confidence, confidence,
no matter how bad it gets confidence
Give yourself credit for what you do
Don’t be so concerned about win & lose
A new experience is another chance for you
Focus on what you CAN do!

3. Confidence, confidence,
no matter how bad it gets
Don’t expect perfection in all you do
Remind yourself your best is awesome for you
Tell yourself you’re doing fine, you’ll get through
Listen, listen to you!

Bruce Langford is an experienced teacher and presenter of school programs on bullying, respect and confidence. Book him for your school – Stand Up Now Productions  www.brucelangford.ca or 1-800-901-8831
Listen to the Confidence Song here:

Talk out your bullying problems using a non-confrontational approach

Talk it out, talk it out, talk it out!

If you are being bullied, don’t keep it all inside you. You can talk it out with the person who is making life tough for you – as long as you do it in a non-confrontational way. Make sure you don’t sound threatening, and don’t display anger or frustration. Just stay cool, and casually talk it out with them.

If you are experiencing bullying on a regular basis, find someone you can talk to; find a trusted friend or adult; find a teacher or councilor. Talk out a situation that is bothering you and it can make all the difference in how quickly you are able to resolve the conflict.

Don’t have anyone to talk to?

Boy talking to dogTalk to yourself or your pet. If you don’t have anyone to talk to, call ‘KidsHelpPhone’ at 1-800-668-6868. You can also jot down your thoughts in a journal. This can really help you work through your problems. Just remember, keeping anger and frustration locked inside can eventually cause problems.

Talk it out in the most safe and confidential way possible.

Stand Up Now Productions –LiveSchoolShows about Bullying & Conflict Resolution with teacher/presenter Bruce Langford.

www.brucelangford.ca

Thames Valley Teacher Shares Upstander Message in Anti-Bullying Presentation

Students at Knollwood Park Public School in London Ontario were hyped during the ‘Stand Up Against Bullying’ assembly at their school recently. TVDSB teacher, Bruce Langford delivered his bullying prevention messages through songs, videos and role-plays during two 45 minute assemblies. Knollwood Park Principal, Mary Roes and Vice-Principal Rhian Husty obviously work hard with the staff and students to make sure students understand how to deal with bullying issues. They wanted to make sure the anti-bullying message was heard loud and clear at their school during Bullying Prevention and Awareness Week.

Knollwood Park Public SchoolFollowing the primary assembly, a staff member told us she felt our ‘Stand Up’ theme song spoke volumes to the students and staff. It teaches us to Stand Up Against Bullying by being an upstander. Here are the lyrics:

Stand Up, and make your mark,
Stand Up, and speak your part.
If you see a kid put down,
You can help if you’re around
Never approve of the slam,
Say you think that it’s wrong.
Have the nerve to speak up;
Let them know that you’re strong.
STAND UP.

 Be an Upstander, remember to ‘Stand Up Against Bullying.
www.standupagainstbullying.com

Blenheim Neighbourhood Watch Hosts Anti-Bullying Speaker, Bruce Langford

Bullying will decrease when everyone starts to care. That is the belief of the Blenheim Neighbourhood Watch Group which started looking for a guest speaker on the topic last spring. Kim Dagenais is the president of the group and was instrumental in locating a speaker with experience and knowledge in the field of bullying prevention. Bruce has been presenting workshops in Ontario for a number of years.

The information covered in the Neighbourhood Watch workshop was cyberbullying, family dynamics, facebook and how to cope with tough bullying situations.

Here is a tip that Bruce shared during the talk in Blenheim:

Sit with your children and discuss the ground rules for internet use in your home. Talk with your family about expectations on the web and regarding the use of cell phones.

This tip can make a big difference later, if a complicated challenge arises involving cyberbullying.
Visit Blenheim Neighbourhood Watch on Facebook!

Bruce Langford does talks and presentations across Ontario on the topic of bullying and cyberbullying. He can be contacted at 1-800-901-8831 or through ‘Stand Up Now Productions’.

Respect Assemblies at York Region School by Popular Guest Speaker

Michaelle Jean PS Richmond Hill SignMichaelle Jean Public School Vice-Principal, Heather Levitt was impressed by the ‘stellar’ performance of Presenter, Bruce Langford at the ‘Stand Up For Respect’ assembly which was a kick-off to the school’s character education program earlier today. Music, videos and role-play were all used to leave a lasting impression with the students.
Michaelle Jean student actors were extremely energetic and passionate during their performances for the school during the assemblies.

Michaelle Jean Public School Richmond Hill OntarioThe students offered this tip as a way to keep respect in the school:

“Teachers should always try to make school fun! That will make students want to be respectful when they are at school. The teachers at our school almost always make learning fun!”
Above Comments by a Grade Three Student Actor

“The Stand Up For Respect performance by Bruce Langford was absolutely stellar! The assembly involved the kids in a fun, realistic way and thoroughly covered the topic of respect.”
Heather Levitt, Vice-Principal, Michaelle Jean Public School, York Region District School Board

Stand Up Now Productions presents assemblies at schools across Ontario.

 

 

Bullying Prevention Assemblies in Windsor Focus on Confidence

“Confidence.”

That word is the one many students identified with in today’s grade 6, 7, & 8 school presentation in Windsor called ‘Stand Up For Respect’.

The Crusaders believe in confidence to help eliminate bullying

“No matter how bad it gets – confidence.”
If only we could instil this belief in everyone. Don’t we all lack confidence at some point? Don’t we all feel defeated or discouraged at one time or another?
I believe the answer is yes. If this is true, then we can do things to encourage others when they are lacking confidence.
“Determination – it will get you through.
Absolute belief in all you do.
Certainty and trust can do it for you.
Hang in – trust in yourself.”

 Use the above words to be inspired. Remember that having true determination really can get you through the tough times. How do you have absolute belief in all you do? Start by mapping out a plan for your life. Set goals. Not vague or general goals, but real and specific goals that are measurable.
Rather than deciding you want to have more money, decide how much money you want to have by a certain date. Then do what you can to go about meeting that goal. Remember that goals don’t need to be about money or material wealth.
Here’s a tip. Don’t set your goal too low. Your goal can be practically anything that is even remotely reasonable. You may think it sounds nearly impossible, but the more you think about it, the more possible it will become.
Thousands of people have set goals and accomplished them. Using your own confidence, you too can achieve a similar kind of success.
Confidence!
“Don’t expect perfection in all you.
Remind yourself your best is awesome for you.
Tell yourself you’re doing fine, you’ll get through
Listen, listen to YOU.”

Confidence. Let it work for you!

Assemblies Motivate Students to Stand Up Against Bullying

Bullying – It takes hard work and determination to prevent bullying. Bullying Prevention starts with one word – RESPECT.

Treat others with respect and you will usually be treated with respect in return. But how do you know how to be respectful in the first place?

There are some basics to follow when it comes to respect:

  1. Be honest. Tell the truth even if you are the only one who could possible know the difference. You see, honesty is part of who you are, deep down.
  2. Be considerate. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Sometimes you really have to stop and think how you would feel if you were in the other person’s shoes. That’s called empathy.
  3. Help others. That means, don’t just stand by and do nothing if someone is being treated badly. There are usually a few different things you can do to help like; speak up when the meanness is happening, talk to the person later and tell them you care, tell an adult you trust. Reaching out to offer your friendship is one of the greatest things you can do.

But what if you do these things and you still feel like you are being bullied? That’s a tough question. The fact is, this happens too many times. Hang in there. Realize things will get better. Change things in your life. Hang around different people. Spend time in different locations. Find people to be friends who really make you feel good and are not being mean, even in a teasing kind of way. Believe that things will improve and then go about changing things you can change. Like your attitude about life. That doesn’t mean the bullying is your fault. It just means if you start by changing what you can change in your life, sometimes good things will happen.

Maybe you sometimes bully other people. Make up your mind to stop doing that. It might not be easy, but you can do it. Keep reminding yourself that you want to change and use your determination. This really works for most people. You will find that your own life will improve if you stop being mean to others.

Most of all, don’t give up. Believe that things can be different and make the effort to make it happen. Be motivated by others. You can learn from them. Learn tips from assemblies or from people you admire. We can be inspired by others and learn how to improve our own lives.  Who knows, you may end up inspiring others!

www.standupagainstbullying.com