The Golden Rule for Back to School

It’s back-to-school time. Sadly, that’s a time when lots of kids have to worry about bullying. While bullying has been around for a long time, it’s probably more dangerous now than ever with cyberbullying along with the traditional forms of bullying.

Even adults have to deal with lack of online civility. It’s time we all work to change things for the better.

Sites That Can Help

I have some helpful links about bullying and cyberbullying in a previous post: Do You Follow the Thumper Theory?

Here’s a website and new blog with lots of helpful information for both adults and kids: StopBullying.gov. The kids’ section has facts, videos, and games to teach kids about bullying. The main page has tabs with lots of information on bullying and cyberbullying as well as risk factors to watch for, ways to prevent bullying, ways to respond to bullying, and ways to get help.

There’s even a free webinar you can sign up for on Wednesday, August 15, at 2:00 pm EST on “Cyberbullying: What You Can Do.” The description for the webinar says:

Today’s kids use technology more than ever. While technology can be a great tool to communicate and learn, it can also be used in harmful ways, and allow some kids to take bullying from school hallways into cyberspace. This form of bullying, cyberbullying, happens when kids bully each other through electronic technology, including sending mean text messages, posting embarrassing photos on social networking sites, or creating fake profiles of another individual. Hosted by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) within the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) through the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention, this webinar will detail current trends in cyberbullying, particularly on how schools, parents, and communities can all work to help prevent this growing problem, including how to create a supportive environment and how to speak to kids about the impact of cyberbullying.

Follow the Golden Rule

My first-grade teacher, along with all the world’s major religions, promote some form of the Golden Rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all followed those words?

“Golden Rule” Word Art Freebie (without watermark and with or without background graphic)