Last week, I had the honor of speaking at a press conference held by San Fransisco District Attorney George Gascon to kick off their subcommittee’s “Bye Bye Bullying” video contest for middle and high school students in San Francisco, for which I am a Judge and Kidpower is a co-sponsor.
The NCAA’s penalties for the Penn State’s football program send a clear message from the national level that child safety should be put ahead football, winning, and hero worship. The message that the well-being of kids is more important than sports is revolutionary. By moving through this hard situation, Penn State Football, and the University as a whole, can develop a reputation of true excellence built on a foundation of integrity, courage, and safety.
Bullying Prevention Expert and Kidpower Leader, Irene van der Zande, calls for adults to turn anxiety into positive action to stop bullying. Here are five practical and positive actions adults can start immediately to turn the tide of bullying and help create schools, neighborhoods and communities of caring, respect and safety for all of their members.
Make sure your kids are prepared to avoid and escape from danger on the way to school, a friend’s house, the store, or anytime they go out without adult protection. Download a free one-page “Kidpower Safety Checklist for Parents” about how to prepare kids and assess to ensure they are ready to recognize potential danger and make safe choices immediately.
Here are five steps Kidpower recommends to protect children from being betrayed by someone they love and trust.
Watching the video of school bus monitor Karen Klein being cruelly bullied by four boys makes me want to stand up and shout, ‘STOP THE BUS!’ Parents and teachers need to teach kids how to recognize destructive behavior, resist peer pressure, speak up when they see someone acting unsafely, and get help. School staff, including bus monitors and playground supervisors, need training and support to stop kids from engaging in bullying of anyone in the moment.
What we need to do to take charge of what each of us can do to keep our children and ourselves emotionally and physically safe – before, during, and after a disaster.
Disasters like the fires now raging in Colorado remind us that we are vulnerable, that the physical security of ourselves and those we care about is not guaranteed, and that our world can change in an instant. As adults, our challenge when a disaster threatens or strikes is to keep finding our balance. In this uncertain world, the truest safety we have is the safety we create within ourselves. If we express calm and determination as we take charge of safety in the midst of uncertainty, our children will follow our lead.
Violence because of someone’s sexual orientation and identify is just as much of a hate crime as violence due to other forms of prejudice. Both during PRIDE Week and at other times, we encourage members of the LGBTQ community and their allies to be proud of who they are – and to keep these seven People Safety strategies from Kidpower.org in mind so they can celebrate with safety and confidence.
Bullying Prevention Expert and Kidpower Leader, Irene van der Zande, calls for adults to turn anxiety nto positive action to stop bullying. Here are five practical and positive actions adults can start immediately to turn the tide of bullying and help create schools, neighborhoods and communities of caring, respect and safety for all of their members.
Our affordable safety comics, teaching books, handbooks, and program manuals prepare readers to bring Kidpower’s “People Safety” knowledge and skills into their daily lives.
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