Kids & Teens Stand Up to Bullying in Chesaning Michigan

Yesterday we presented our Abuse Bites Anti-Bullying Program to nearly 500 Students in the Chesaning Michigan Middle School. This was just half of the crowd! And it was an awesome time! These students learned how to stand up to bullying.

(Faces are blurred due to FERPA laws)

This is Snickers (below), our 13 year old Fox Terrier/Jack Russel who was a formerly abused/runaway that I rescued 12 years ago. He's the mascot of our program (AKA "The Bully Buster") and an award-winning certified pet therapy dog. Together we've raised over $20,000 for needy/abused people and pets of our community! When I shared his motivating story, the crowd went wild!  Kids loved on him the whole time we were there. (below) Sadly, he is barely getting around these days due to cancerous tumors, but perked up when he knew he was going to an event. 

Kids were very anxious to volunteer for all of our interactive games and demonstrations. My volunteer Amber had a tough job choosing. But everyone had a great time! (below)

We talked about accepting those who are different (gay, obese, those with disabilities). Giving them the freedom to make their own choices and accepting them for who they are. That we don't have to agree with them, but we should never bully them. The fact is, we are more alike than different, if we would really take a close look! The biggest factor is that we all have the same VALUE! (below)

These five boys helped me to put on a bullying skit. The two to my far left were joking/teasing the little guy in the orange, while the boy to my right kind of smirked and watched, while the other boy to my far right simply walked away. Proving that BYSTANDERS can be bullies too if they don't do something to help. (below)

We talked about REPORTING BULLYING versus tattling. Tattling is when you are trying to get someone in trouble, Reporting is when you are trying to get someone out of trouble! And also the four choices you have when bullied. Will you fight back, call 9-1-1 (report it), ask the audience (bystanders/friends for help), or take the 50/50 and run away. (below)

Kids Cheered & Clapped as students raised each card. But I think "Fight Back" won. Although we do fight back, I shared that it is not physically, but it is by standing up for yourself and others, and reporting so you can get the help needed. 80% of students don't report bullying, so therefore nothing is ever done to stop it. (below) 

The students cheered even more, after my son, Jeremiah sang his original song "Just A Shadow". Jeremiah was nearly bullied to death in high school, now he writes and sings songs to help others. (below)

This is Baby Ruth (below), AKA "The Bully" in our program. She was the WORST DOG we ever had, but with love, discipline, and training, she is so much better! We share her story of PAWS FOR CHANGE and how anyone (even the bully) can change with the right help! After all bullying is a behavior, not who a person is!

This is another hilarious game/demonstration we do with kids. Our Dime Game is very popular and shows kids that "pranking someone" can be bullying too. We also share that sometimes those bullying don't realize it's bullying, that's why they have to be told their behavior is wrong. (below)

We try to make our workshops fun, interactive, and educational for everyone--even those we use for our bullying demonstrations! (below)

We talk about good versus bad choices. Here I have a bottle of "dirty water" and a bottle of "clean water". We ask which the kids would drink from. Of course they choose the "clean water". We explain how if something appears to be a little wrong, it's wrong and we shouldn't do it. But if we do make bad choices we will have to drink the consequences. (below)

I use Snickers and his love for GARBAGE as a demonstration. I tell them how many times he's ran away and has gotten into the garbage and comes home later so sick he nearly dies. Then I ask, "Why do we go back to the same garbage friendships and relationships that are bringing us down?"

This is our most popular game. Our hot dog game gets the whole crowd laughing, but it also gives them a visual about PEER PRESSURE, that it's like the blind feeding the blind. I ask them what they should say to Peer Pressure and they all shout "NO!" (below)

We captured these students in the front row! That's what I like the most, if the kids are in, we win! It's all about keeping their attention throughout the entire program. I don't like boring and don't want to do boring. (below)

I know, I'm having way too much fun! This is supposed to be work, right? Love working with kids and interacting in a way that is fun for everyone. (below)

This is just one section of the crowd--even the teachers are laughing hysterically! (below)

Our telephone game is also a lot of fun, while teaching the importance of our words. Words can hurt or heal, so think before you speak! We also talk about SOCIAL BULLYING and how friends spread rumors to ruin other friends or x-friends reputations. (below)

This young man got the first part right "Zip Your Lips". That's pretty good compared to what we usually get. That's how gossip is, you forget what someone told you so you make up your own juicy story to go with it, then others do the same, until its so distorted there isn't much truth in it.

These students came forward and turned their back to the crowd and were labeled with negative words. That's what people often do, put labels on us. We tell them no matter who they are, they are unique, wonderful individuals and there is no one like them. So they removed the labels and everyone cheered! (below)

Nearly all 500 Students made their way to the Gym Floor for our "Change Challenge". We empower targets, bystanders, and bullies to make a change and Be The Change, to stop bullying for themselves and others. (below)

1 out of 7 kids bully others. In our game of Tug O War, our bully stands alone, while 6 other kids are on the other end ready to pull her to her defeat. This teen volunteered to be the bully. When I asked her if she thought she'd win, she said, "NO!" She was right! (Below)

But we don't teach the kids to pull on the rope, we tell them to simply stand together and let go, then the problem will be defeated. Too many times, like her, the victims are singled out. Stand with others to defeat bullying!

Can you imagine if the 160,000 kids that missed school every day for fear of bullying actually stood together against their bully? It would be the biggest CHANGE CHALLENGE YET!

Below is Mr. Jerry Ciarlino, Counselor at the school, ushered the event in. He's such a great guy! It's been a pleasure working with him and all the faculty at Chesaning Middle School! Thanks Jerry!

We'd love to come to your school, church, work place or community to defeat bullying too. Please include us when planning your next event. :) 

Written by: Lisa Freeman, Michigan Anti-Bullying Expert, Advocate & Survivor

CEO of Abuse Bites, Healing Projects Specialist Bully Police USA

Email/Contact Lisa Freeman

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Has Bullying Stopped or Gone Viral?

HAS BULLYING STOPPED or HAS IT TAKEN A WHOLE OTHER DIRECTION? 

Take a good look around the good old USA. Your neighborhood. What do you think... has bullying decreased, increased, or stayed the same?

A recent study at a high school in Massachussettes indicates they are getting fewer reports on student bullying according to statistics from surveys in 2011. What do you think? Is bullying getting better at your local schools? Maybe this school has some tips we can all learn from! Get the full story here.

With school being out for the summer, parents aren't contacting us here at Abuse Bites so much.

Yet, I've read story after story about kids being singled out, beaten and horribly victimized. One 10 year old boy was even burned with a lighter on a bus! Video Here

When interviewed about bullying teens said things like, you don't want to be the little kid who sits by himself at the lunch table. But bullying is far worse than just the lunch room these days. Cyber bullying stalks kids 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Five kids from the Boys and Girls Club of Kansas City said they had been mean online, but had never been bullied themselves. More

Jack Joblonski was paralyzed during a hockey game in December, when his spine was severed and he was told he'd never walk again. Recently he was bullied on twitter. Read how he overcame his bullies and even his disability.

Cyber Bullying has a viral spread that we must constantly keep up to date on. It used to be simply bad/negative words in text, now it is hate pages on facebook (two middle school girls were even arrested) and sexting, sending sexual images via cell phone/computer. Kids and teens don't realize how someone can take that image and use it against them. More

Sadly, kids are still taking their lives or being bullied to death. Joel Morales of New York, only 12, committed suicide in May, after bullies tormented him about his father's death.

It's tough as parents to sit by and watch our kids be hurt and wither away to nothing. But we can't very well, fight back like this father, and hire someone to beat our kids bully. More About This Story

So what are parents to do?

Parents can get help, thankfully. They can partner with us here, at Abuse Bites, to bring programs like ours which educates on current bullying themes and safety measures to take as well as provides the healing that victims, bystanders, and bullies need. We're offering FREE WORKSHOPS right now in a contest. Check it out! More about us and what we offer.

There is also a new software on the market that will allow you to keep track of and protect your kids and family while on line and via cell. Check out this link for more helpful info.

by Lisa Freeman, CEO Abuse Bites