Author: scohen

Wanted: 

Sacred Heart readers! 

Sign up now for 
November 1 
and/or 
November 15. 

(Kiwanis) Back in the day you were called a “snitch” if you told on someone. And you’d never “rat out” bullies for fear of becoming their next target. So tattling behavior got a bad rap, while bad behavior got overlooked. The bullies gained power; the victims lost hope, along with their self-esteem. Fast-forward to the present and you’ll find a good many adults who hesitate to act when they hear about or witness bullying, because they look back on it as a normal part of growing up. 

But the truth is, there’s nothing “normal” about it. This is a different era. Bullying is neither normal nor a phase.It’s repeated deliberate abusive activity that’s harmful, hostile, and demoralizing. These are not the moral stepping stones to a healthy, happy childhood. There’s nothing gained developmentally by enduring abuse from others or by those dishing it out. 

So if you’re an adult and you learn of a bullying situation, step up. You can make a tremendous difference in kids’ lives and in your community. Here are a handful of ways.

1. Intervene. Don’t just stand there, do something. If you suspect a child or teen is being bullied, follow your suspicions. Report what you’ve seen or heard to teachers and parents. If your instincts are correct, follow through. Make sure actions are taken to help the victim and to end the bullying.
2. Be present every day in some way. Go to school. Visit recess. Make your presence known for your kids, grandkids and others around them.  Bullying statistics flood the Internet and for good reason. There’s a ready supply of “research candidates” out there. But a consistent fact is that 67 percent of bullying happens in the absence of adults. The solution is obvious. Be visibly present often. Work out a schedule with other parents to make “random” but regular visits.
3. Practice what you preach. Model good behavior. If kids hear you speaking or behaving rudely to others, they’ll do the same. Instead, model kindness and understanding. And while you’re at it, teach them to be good witnesses. Being a rat’s where it’s at if it means outing a bully (even anonymously) and making sure he or she stops. 
4. Move along. Don’t be a bystander. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. A bystander gives the bully an unspoken power to continue his or her behavior with the knowledge that nothing’s going to happen to him or her. It also makes the victim feel even more helpless and hopeless, believing that no one can or will help. Instead, intervene immediately. Depending on the situation and the age of those involved, seek another adult to assist (a teacher, parent, police, etc.) Separate the kids involved. Make sure everyone is safe. Stay calm. And model respectful behavior throughout the process.
5. Change minds. Spread the word: Bullying is not a normal childhood phase. It’s an abnormal activity that must be identified as such, prevented from an early age and stopped whenever it presents itself. 

Be sure to check back later in the week to find out if your community’s schools are doing their part to prevent and eliminate bullying. Until then, check out these additional resources to learn more about what you can do to stop bullying when you encounter it.

• StopBullying.gov
• WebMD – How adults can help stop bullying. 

• 3 or 4 volunteers to set up on Friday November 8^th from noon to around 3:00.   
• A volunteer to purchase the Smores supplies that can be taken to the camp when we go set up.  
• 3 or 4 volunteers for serving on Saturday night, November 9th. 9:00 for the camp fire. 

This looks like a really cool opportunity to get involved with an activity at the Division level so I’m going plan on being there on Friday.  Please let me know if you can help out.

Thank you for letting me speak to your club about Key Leader!  It is an amazing program, that has an impact on the lives of kids here in our area.

We are looking for help from your club in a couple of areas:

Friday November 8, we need about 3 people to come to camp Kitaki and help us get the camp set up for the weekend.  I would like them to get there at noon to get started, and we should be finished by 3 pm at the latest.  We’ll be setting up chairs, getting name tags, books, and tee shirts set up for the kids, setting up signage and some other smaller tasks.

Also, on Saturday night, November 9th, i’d love it if your club could provide the materials needed for Smores.  9 pm. is the time for the camp fire.  This will give your club members an opportunity to see Key Leader first hand and see the impact that it has on our kids.

We are expecting about 80 kids and 10-12 chaperones in addition to this.  I know it is alot, let me know if you all need some help on the financial side.

Here is a link to a of the camp.

http://goo.gl/maps/N07Xj
Thanks again!
Joe Schmidtke 

Sacred Heart readers sign up for November 1 and November 15 has begun. 

Thanks Jack!