WE CONTINUE OUR LOOK AT THE
ISSUE OF BULLYING AND HOW WE AS
A COMMUNITY CAN START RESOLVING
THIS TROUBLING ISSUE.
FROM EDUCATORS TO MENTAL
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND STUDENTS
THEMSELVES, WE'VE UNCOVERED A
WEALTH OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE
RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.
BUT EACH HAS A COMMON THEME --
COMMUNICATION.
DO YOU REGRET TELLING HER TO
TOUGHEN UP, TO LET IT GO AND
MOVE ON?
DO YOU REGRET HOW YOU HANDLED
IT?
I DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER.
MANY PARENTS FEEL IGNORED
WHEN THEY TRY TO GET INVOLVED IN
THE BULLYING THEIR CHILDREN ARE
EXPERIENCING.
SO COMMUNITY RESOURCES BECOME A
VITAL TOOL FOR FAMILIES TRYING
TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
ONE THAT'S AVAILABLE TO ANYONE
ANYWHERE, THE SPEAK OUT HOTLINE.
OUR NUMBER ONE TIP IS ABOUT
BULLYING.
THAT'S THE MOST COMMON THAT WE
GET.
OPERATED BY THE SAME GROUP
THAT RUNS CRIMELINE, SPEAK OUT
IS ANONYMOUS AND CAN OFFER A
VARIETY OF OPTIONS TO HELP.
THEY TAKE CALLS ABOUT STUDENTS
WHO MAY HARM THEMSELVES, PARENTS
LOOKING FOR SOME ADVICE, AND
MOST CRITICAL, WITNESSES.
PLUS, IF YOU YOUR CALL TO THE
HOTLINE STOPS A BULLY, YOU COULD
GET A PAYCHECK.
WE PAY KIDS TO CLEAN THEIR
ROOM.
WE PAY KIDS TO GET GOOD GRADES.
WHY WE WOULD NOT PAY THEM FOR
MAKING A GOOD DECISION TO HELP
ANOTHER STUDENT OUT OR TO
RESOLVE AN UNSAFE SITUATION ON A
CAMPUS?
TURNS OUT KIDS MAY BE THE
BEST RESOURCE TO STOPPING
BULLIES AND THAT'S WHERE THE
STUDENT LED TO BE KIND OR TBK
COMES IN
I THINK TO BE KIND HAS MADE
BEING NICE COOL.
I LIKE IT.
STARTED BY THE LEADERSHIP
CLASS AT LAKE BRANTLEY HIGH
SCHOOL, TBK TEACHES ACCEPTANCE
AND PROMOTES ON-CAMPUS EVERY DAY
THE POWER OF NICE.
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW MUCH
GOING AROUND JUST, LIKE, WAVING
OR SMILING AT SOMEONE CAN CHANGE
THEIR DAY.
AND THESE STUDENTS PRACTICE
WHAT THEY PREACH THROUGH SOCIAL
MEDIA AND OUTREACH.
WITH OUR KIDS HERE AT LAKE
BRANTLEY HIGH SCHOOL ARE GOING
TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND
TEACHING THOSE STUDENTS AND
PASSING IT DOWN WHAT IT MEANS.
BUT SOMETIMES THE ANSWER FOR
KIDS LIES WITH THE ADULTS IN
THEIR LIVES.
REALLY OPENING THAT DOOR TO
TALK ABOUT WHAT BULLYING IS AND
MAYBE THE THINGS THEY'RE
OBSERVING.
AMANDA MONTGOMERY IS A
LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER AT
NEMOURS.
SHE EM FA SIZES THE GOOD IMPACT
TALKING OUT THE ISSUES CAN HAVE.
FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT TO SCHOOL
LEADERS AND MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS.
ALL SAY COMMUNICATION IS KEY.
PARENTS TALKING TO THEIR CHILD,
CONTACTING THE SCHOOL WHEN
BULLYING IS ON-GOING OR WHEN
THERE IS PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, AND
CALLING SPEAK OUT OR 911 IF
SOMEONE IS IN DANGER OR ON THE
VERGE OF HARMING THEMSELVES.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING PARENTS CAN DO IS
RECOGNIZE THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES.
IT MIGHT BE TIME TO SEEK OUT A
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TO HELP THEM
AND THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH THIS
PATH.
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
REACHING OUT TO US HERE AT WESH
THIS WEEK OFFERING UP A WEALTH
OF RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND WE
DO HAVE ALL OF THOSE POSTED UP
ON THE BULLYING RESOURCE PAGE
WHICH IS ON WESH.COM.
AND YOU AND I HAVE MET WITH A
NUMBER OF FOLKS THIS WEEK.
THERE IS THAT COMMON THEME --
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARENT AND
CHILD ON THE TOPIC OF BULLYING.
BUT OFTENTIMES IT CAN BE
DIFFICULT FOR THE PARENT TO KNOW
HOW TO OPEN UP THAT CONVERSATION
AND ENGAGE IN A HEALTHY
DIALOGUE.
SO IT IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC
WE'LL CONTINUE TO COVER ON
WESH 2 NEWS.
AND THE BIG THING IS GETTING
INVOLVED.
SO MANY PARENTS WHETHER IN
SCHOOL, AFTER SCHOOL OR
ESPECIALLY SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE
WHEN YOU SEE A CHILD HURT AND
YOU WANT TO FIX IT NOW.
TOMORROW WE TAKE ON ANOTHER
TOUGH SUBJECT AREA FOR
PARENTS... ARE YOU RAISING A
BULLY?
IF IT IS OKAY AT HOME TO BE
TEASING OR PUTTING DOWN OR TO
TALK NEGATIVELY ABOUT PEOPLE,
CHILDREN ARE SPONGES.
AND THEY REALLY PICK UP ON THE
THINGS THEY SEE THEIR PARENTS DO
OR THE ATTITUDES THEY EMBRACE.
WHY KIDS BULLY AND HOW
PARENTS CAN CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR