Bullying is terrible and can have serious affects on the victims. With the recent suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, the 14-year-old boy from Williamsville, NY who took his life prompted by years of bullying from classmates, this topic has been on the forefront of my mind.
Chances are your child or someone you know will be affected by bullying in some capacity. According to PACER, 160,000 kids miss school every year because of bullying. Bullying can be as “innocent” as name calling or more demoralizing by being ridiculed because of a disability.
As a mom with a school aged daughter, I worry that bullying could be in her future. Last year a friend’s daughter was being pushed on the playground. She repeatedly contacted the school and tried to manage the situation with the school’s administrator and teachers. Fortunately, the incidents never escalated and she moved her family to a different area and her daughter enrolled into a new school.
How frustrating for my friend, not to mention the affect this had on her daughter’s self-esteem. What can parents do to prevent their child from being bullied or bullying other kids?
Books are a great way to start the conversation early and at home.
This year Spookley the Square Pumpkin has been named the Official Spokes-Pumpkin of National Bullying Prevention Month. Spookley the Square Pumpkin, written and created by Joe Troiano, tells the story of a square pumpkin living in a round pumpkin patch on Holiday Hill Farm. Although Spookley initially faces ridicule from his fellow patch-mates, he goes on to save the day during a terrible storm. As a result, all the pumpkins in the patch learn that it is the thing that makes you different that makes you special.
This month Moms Fashion File is teaming up with Spookley to help spread the word about anti- bullying.
Join us for the Bullying Prevention Twitter Party with Spookley!
October 12th
8:00 pm CST/9:00 EST
Follow @AmyTaraKoch
Hashtag #spookley
Over $600 in prizes!!
One lucky GRAND PRIZE WINNER receives with a Cambridge Orange Fluoro satchel filled with all Spookley books, DVD’s, toys and flashlight. ($256 value)
5% of all of Holiday Hill Enterprises’ proceeds from sales of http://ow.ly/6Qy3v.
Do you have a bullying experience to share? Sassy Moms want to know how you handled the situation. You never know who you could help by speaking up!
Learn more about Spookley the Square Pumpkin and official Spokes-Pumpkin of National Bullying Prevention Month!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Holiday Hill Farm.
