40 Days to Creating a Boldly
Beautiful Life from The Inside Out
by Dawn McIntyre www.thenew10.com
No matter who we are, we could all use a boost of confidence every so often. Having overcome her own abusive childhood, Dawn McIntyre has made her career out of helping women not only surmount lifes inevitable setbacks, but to emerge better and stronger on the other end.
Dawn is a motivational life coach who has appeared regularly on Canadian morning television. She has contributed to the bestselling books, Shift Happens and Bouncing Back, which also featured the work of Dr. Wayne Dyer and Brian Tracy. Her new book, The New 10 (Expert Academy Press), came out this June. The New 10 explores the importance of redefining societys vision of the perfect 10. It seeks to give women and teens a renewed sense of self-worth and self-esteem so that they can commit to what Dawn calls living a boldly, beautiful life.
HELPING YOUR CHILD BE FREE FROM BULLYING
by Dawn McIntyre, author of The New 10
As parents we have much more power to help our children deal with bullying than we realize. Coping and prevention starts at home with your relationship to your children. Become their role-model. Through your guidance and interaction with them, you can teach them valuable information and also develop a sense of trust in them so that they will openly discuss any issues or problems that arise. The following are some ways that you can specifically help your son or daughter.
1. This may sound basic but it is essential. Teach them right from wrong. What do they value about themselves, their education, their friends and family? Do they know? If not help them to become aware of what they value. This will help them to know what they should not accept in behaviors from others towards them. Teach them that it is OK to say No to unacceptable behavior. It is equally OK to say Yes and stand up for their values.
2. Also help them to become aware of their self-worth by affirming it to them daily. Make them aware of what is right and good and beautiful about them, just as they are. Spend time with them daily and develop a rapport with them so they feel safe and loved at home. This will help them to open up to you about what is happening to them so that it can be dealt with before it gets serious.
3. Teach them about what bullying includes. Bullying is the repeated use by one or more people (students) directed at your child that causes physical or emotional harm or damage to the victims property. It places your child in fear of harm to himself or his property. It creates a hostile environment at school and also can include cyber-bullying through the use of technology or other electronic communication devices.
4. You can assist your child by reporting any instances of bullying to the school or any law enforcement agency. Many children will resist this for fear of being treated worse, but you can help them by assuring them that it is the right thing to do and essential as part of their over-all protection from further incidences.
5. Be willing to get to know who your childrens friends are and especially take an interest in their on-line activities. If they are on Facebook or any other social networking site, become their friend if only to stay informed of their activities and interactions with others online. Problems can arise when adults are posing as children; you can alleviate this risk by knowing who their online friends are and their postings to each other. You can also put time limits to their on-line activities.
6. Teach them to not react to incidents of bullying but rather to have the strength to walk away and report it their teacher and also to come home and tell you. Bullies are often very insecure people, which is why they bully, to make themselves feel more superior. They will often lack the courage to cause further damage if they are not provoked into doing so.
7. Incidents of bullying can have damaging effects on your childs self-esteem, self-image and self-confidence. Help them to re-build this so that they can feel less victimized and more empowered. They may also feel guilty and out of control emotionally. You can help them by working with them to release these negative feelings and assuring them that they are indeed safe and that you are there for them at all times. Dont be afraid to seek the assistance of an expert in this area through counseling and/or coaching. Your child is worth it.
8. Be a role model to your children by standing up for what you believe in with love, compassion and grace. You are their greatest teacher and have the most influence over them. If they see your strength they will want to be strong as well.
Bullying is becoming a bigger problem in schools and in cyber-space and it is starting to happen at younger ages all the time. Your influence, time, love, and interest in your child and their friends will do much to create a safe home environment where they can open up to you so you can help them.
