Web Catch of the Week: Can We Really Stop Bullying?

     The word “bully” is thrown around a lot. Our culture has done a lot of work to raise awareness and fight against bullying. Countless parents, teachers, political figures, and celebrities have all joined this battle, and our kids seem more aware of bullying than ever. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services declared October as Bullying Prevention Month, and the hashtag #stopbullying365 is already getting a lot of attention. Even with all the education and attention this issue receives, I don't see the problem of bullying ever going away completely. So the question becomes, how can we prepare our kids to face bullying?
    Dr. Laura Markham is the founding editor of the Aha! Parenting blog. In her post "10 Ways to Empower Your Child Against Bullying," she shares some practical advice for both parents and kids to prepare to face bullying. I thought her advice on helping your kids prepare for a bullying situation through role-playing at home was particularly helpful.
     What if you are concerned that your child is bullying others? Tim Kimmel, author of "Grace Based Parenting" and founder of the Family Matters organization, shares some challenging but helpful tips to addressing your child's overbearing tendencies. Listen to this 1-minute audio, "How to Raise a Bully." 
     Feel free to share your stories about bullying in the comments. How have you helped your kids prepare to face bullying? What have you done to address bullying after the fact?