Based on Article by Meredith Montgomery in Natural Awakenings
160,000 Children miss school every day due to fears of being attacked or intimidated by other students (National Education Association)
Kids are more often using words and exclusion and social media more than the physical.
Help Kids to be Kind and Heroes and not Followers. Ignite their Moral Imagination. Call on them to be Problem Solvers. (Peacefirst.org) and (Stopbullying.gov)
We need to be Role Models of Treating People Respectfully and Kindly.
www.Peacefirst.org offers peacemaking tools online: conflict resolution, social/emotional skills, courage, cooperation, empathy, and civic involvement and help
Teach that you can still work with and get along with people you don't especially care for or who "annoy you" or "grind on you".
The International Forgiveness Institute (internationalforgiveness.org) emphasizes forgiveness as key to getting along with others peacefully. Forgiveness actually increases a child/teen's self-esteem and feelings of anger, depression, and anxiety are reduced. Teach kids that forgiveness is a choice and it helps you more than the person you forgive.
Listen to your kids about anger and try to help them deal with it. Just listening to their stories of hurt/pain/frustration and anger can help so they don't take it out on others or themselves.
Peacemaking is a set of skills and working together. It nurtures a child's human development.
The Clark Institute: Private Practice Psychotherapy
for Children, Adolescents, and Adults
Human Resource Associates
Matthew Clark, Psy.D.