Bullying: What can you do?

Hi gang. Obviously I’m not a first-time mum. But I am a parent. Jo asked me to pop on over and chat about bullying. And I’m prepared to scream from the rafters about my message.

Stuart West

Unfortunately, I’m somewhat of an expert in the field of bullying. As a high-schooler (many years ago! Not telling how many.) I was bullied. I was an overweight kid, not popular, apparently a prime target for bullying. I seriously feared for my safety for three years. I was punched, tripped, ridiculed, beaten, the whole nine yards. It tore me up, but I survived.

Survival. Not something you’d expect a high school kid to worry about. But I did. Many others still do. My grandmother told me “high school years are the best days of your life.” Love you grandma, but you lied.

In the last couple of years, I was witness to my daughter going through bullying in her high school years. It was a different type of bullying, but heart-wrenching, none-the-less. She wasn’t in physical danger, but she was excluded from gatherings, name-called, cybernetically picked on. As a father, it killed me to watch her go through it.

Now, listen up, first-time mums, ‘cause I’m here to help.

Don’t let your child be bullied.

What can you do?

Talk to your child. Communication’s key. Let them know you’re a safe haven.

More importantly, tell them to contact an understanding teacher at school. This is one of the biggest problems. There’s an attitude kids have that they gotta’ have “hallway cred.” They don’t want to “rat” on someone. It’d be uncool. I had that attitude, most kids do. But, it must stop.

Let your children know it’s fine to tell an adult about abhorrent behavior. Let’s let them know it’s okay to tell the truth about bullying idiots. If they don’t, the behavior will continue, an endless cycle.

I’m doing my part. I wrote a book about bullying. It’s a Young Adult paranormal thriller, meant as entertainment. But, the bullying aspects—the ugly, cruel, violent details…they happened. Every bullying incident in the book is true. My friend from high school still doesn’t have the full function of his hand because of an ugly, violent bullying incident.

Read the book, share it with your children, spread the word. http://www.amazon.com/Tex-The-Witch-Boy-ebook/dp/B00B3U5OWU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361812773&sr=8-1&keywords=tex+the+witch+boy

And drop me a line if I can help.

By Stuart West. "After working as a graphic and production artist for the last 23 years, the company for which I labored shuttered its doors, finally allowing me the time and mental energy to tackle something that I'm passionate about. 

“Tex, The Witch Boy” is my first novel and the first in a trilogy dealing with topical teen issues. The second book, "Tex And The Gangs Of Suburbia," will be out via MuseItUp Publishing in July.

I'm married to a professor of pharmacy (who greatly appreciates that I now prepare dinner for her) and have a 20 year old daughter, who hasn’t yet decided what to do with her life. But that’s okay…it took me 25 years or longer."

Stop Bullies - teach your kids about bullying while they are young!

"I had to share this important book with you – hopefully it will save some of your children the pain of bullying or being bullied.

One day after major surgery, my friend Nadia Sahari was looking out her window and began to think of what to do during her six month recovery. There it was right in front of her face! She saw him - THE BULLY CAT.  The title came instantly and the story began.

Star was a bully cat and he was mean to all the other cats in her yard. She pulled out the laptop and wrote the story as she lived it and as she saw it for the next six months.  All the cats were her inspiration as well as the news on TV and in papers. She could not stand the idea of another child bein

g bullied and then possibly committing suicide.  Her heart broke each time and each time it caused a setback for her. She thought of the children and the animals that are so innocent and have no control over what happens to them. Something had to be done!

I knew her children’s book, THE BULLY CAT would definitely help younger children understand, learn and give them the teachings from an interesting cat story since all kids seem to love cats. She made it fun and colorful, too.

The statistics are alarming.  According to the ASPCC each day an estimated 160,000 in the USA refuse to go to school because they dread the physical and verbal aggression of their peers. Many more attend school in a chronic state of anxiety and depression. It's reported that 6 out of 10 American youth witness bully at least once a day. 

Buy this book for your own family or someone else, but spread the word and help stop this terrible trend.  Thanks for your care and concern."

Find out more at http://saharibooks.homestead.com/

Guest post by Denise Cassino.