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Michael Rose

Child, Adolescent & Family Therapist, Youth in Need

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How can we help to prevent bullying?

As a society that revels in TV series such as Honey Boo Boo, Jersey Shore and other "Reality" TV shows, how are we supposed to stop bullying within schools?

If we preach what to do or what not to do when confronted by bullying behaviors, but never follow through with consequences, how can we expect our students to continue to have faith in the faculty's true want to get rid of bullying.

How can we expect our children to stop bullying if we, as grown ups, are watching these shows.... making fun of the people on them, judging them, calling them names?

How can we change the structure of learning to help increase education, not only in the academic sense, but also in the sense of what it means to be a human being?

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  • Rhona Pavis 50+

    • +2
    Mar 14 2013: Perhaps requiring the entire families of the bullies to attend some kind of counseling might decrease bullying behavior. Bullies are created in their homes. If the parents who create the bullies have to pay some kind of price or face the consequences of their parenting behavior, maybe that would have an impact. Bullies may be emulating parental behavior toward them. Since they are powerless to deal openly and honestly with the parent who bullies them for fear of loss of basic support (food, housing, clothing) and more physical and emotional abuse, they pass the hurtful behavior on to others. Let's stop the bullying behavior where it starts.
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      Colleen Steen 500+

      • +1
      Mar 16 2013: Rhona,
      That is an excellent idea, which we incorporated into the "Real Justice" or "Restorative Justice" practices I participated in. As often as possible, the families of offenders were asked to attend the meetings. You are absolutely right...bullies are often taught to be bullies in the home. If the parents are aware of their own behaviors, it might help the whole family dynamic!

      I once mediated with a family.....three incarcerated felons.....mother, father and son......very interesting experience!!! I'd like to see mediation happen WAY BEFORE that level!!!

      • Rhona Pavis 50+

        • +2
        Mar 17 2013: Colleen, Obviously we are working together and succeeding in making life a more positive experience for our contemporaries and futurity. May the rest of humanity jump on board and accelerate the progress so all human beings can live healthy, loving, happy lives starting within the next 24 hours. There is no reason for patience in these matters that are perfectly clear. Society has to switch paradigms from fear and anger based systems to love and joy based systems. I am glad we are both positive, powerful and effective people. We may as well continue doing and saying all the positive things we say and do. HAPPY TODAY.
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          Colleen Steen 500+

          • +1
          Mar 17 2013: I agree Rhona, ALL of society has to switch paradigms....the sooner.....the better:>)
          HAPPY TODAY RHONA:>)

      • Rhona Pavis 50+

        • +1
        Mar 17 2013: Thanks. Perhaps "patience" is over-rated. It certainly is when it comes to justice, truth, happiness, health and stuff like that. WAKE UP, WORLD. We can do this quickly....transform life on earth from suffering to joy. Simple formula: POSITIVE everything, anything, always. It works. Just do it. Thanks, Colleen.
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          Colleen Steen 500+

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          Mar 17 2013: That's the important piece Rhona.....let's just do it!

          "One of the great difficulties in the new order of thought is that we are likely to indulge in too much theory and too little practice. As a matter of fact, we only know as much as we can prove by actual demonstration".
          (Ernest Holmes - The Science of Mind)

          I know you know this....thanks Rhona:>)

      • Rhona Pavis 50+

        • +1
        Mar 17 2013: I reached the maximum number of thumbs up I can give you for now. That's okay. We shall continue doing what we do. We shall continue succeeding. We are accelerating progress toward all of our positive goals. Joyous RIGHT NOW!

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