If you have been following me either here or on social media, you may get the gist of the sort of passionate person I am.

Of life, beauty, nature, possibility and potential.  Of one the things I am most passionate about is children.

In viewing a disturbing video of yet another life gone to bullying I am on my soap box.

Children come into this life as a clean slate and I believe that parents under estimate the value of influence that they, personally,  have on them.

I grew up in a single parent family in the 60’s.  If being in these dynamics wasn’t odd enough for that time period, the fact that the head of our household was my Dad.  A single man raising three girls, all one year apart in birth.

Although I was never bullied, my oldest sister was.  In addition to many fearful walks home she suffered a broken nose on one occasion.  With police intervention this all came to pass after a short time.

I can’t even begin to talk about bullying and how very present it is today.  And, I’m sorry, as I say to my girls “high school never ends”.  The bullying goes far beyond the school yard.  Many adults are choosing to think, act and participate in this far to acceptable behavior.

My earlier point in regards to my family dynamics is that there was NEVER anyone as busy as my Dad.  Working sometimes two jobs to “keep the roof over our head and food on the table”.  Sure there were some things we did without, BUT with plenty of opportunity to take the wrong path, there was something that not only him but with the support of extended family, kept us on the straight and narrow.

I remember one particular occasion when I thought, “oh cool, lets give this bullying thing a try”.  In cutting through the big field with a park that led to our street, it was easy to find a “victim”.  What I do remember is asking for, I don’t know, money or candy.  She resisted. I gave her a shove. She cried.  I, with an extreme level of guilt and shame, ran faster than her away.  NEVER EVER to participate in this level of behavior again.

Sure, we’re all busy.  IF you don’t have the time to sit down and talk to your kids about bullying:

A) MAKE IT!  Your child maybe on the other end of this all too common practice.  Worse, your child maybe the instigator.

B)  WATCH IT! Watch your actions, your words.  Most importantly, your thoughts.  Thoughts have a way of manifesting!

It is NOT the anti-bullying programs that help……its the behaviors

To stop bullying, start with YOU!