“Cyberbullying” or “electronic aggression” means deliberately using technology such as smartphones, the internet, social media, or gaming environments to harass, humiliate, badmouth, or threaten someone. Like any form of bullying, online bullying can poison someone’s joy in life, reputation, and well being. An antidote is a substance that can counteract a form of poisoning, and teaching...
Long before they can talk or move on their own, babies are getting lessons from their adults about what it means to be safe and to be important. Our job as adults is to provide nurturing, love, guidance, and protection. As toddlers and preschoolers start to develop more mobility, understanding, and language, our job is also to start teaching them how to be safe in their world and with other people....
Last Saturday, I got a note from a mother who wrote, “My six-year-old daughter just asked me, ‘What if someone starts shooting kids at my school? What should I do?’ It breaks my heart that my child even has to think about something this horrible! What can I possibly say or do that will help her?” Countless parents and teachers are now having to answer frightening questions like this from their...
We’ve been following the news about Sierra LaMar, a 15-year-old who disappeared near her home in Morgan Hill, CA sometime between a text message sent to a friend and nine minutes later when she didn’t show up to her school bus on March 16. Reports Thursday say that police no longer think she may have run away and believe that she was most likely kidnapped, potentially by someone she knows. We don’t...
The Penn State Football child abuse scandal in the US is a classic case of someone misusing his position of trust and power to abuse and coerce kids and of adults in responsible positions not taking action to stop him. Parents are left wondering, ““What do I need to look out for? How can I protect my kids? What can I teach them about protecting themselves?” In Kidpower’s experience working...
What if any of us saw a child about to be harmed? We’d want to do something to help that child! None of us has the power to make others stop doing dangerous things, but we each have the power to take action today that will make kids safer. Kidpower, a global leader in personal safety education, including bullying prevention, child abuse prevention, and stranger awareness, is inviting all caring...
