Hi Everyone. I’m Rita Mallena, Director at the Shady Pines Community Center. 
Did you know that October is National Bullying Prevention Month? We will be doing all sorts of activities all this month to show kids why bullying is not tolerated here in our small Southern town. It’s such an important topic.
We have a lot of kids who are involved in our after school programs here. Sadly, we know that kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, school, and mental health issues. We have seen for ourselves that when a child is bullied they are more likely to experience: Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy.
Since the Shady Pines Elelmentary School is next door, we’re getting together with the teachers over there so we can work together to stop bullying and cyberbullying. We will use playacting and art classes and story telling to help raise awareness of the many ways bulling hurts children.
After all, in Shady Pines Story Town we promote kindness, caring, tolerance and compassion. We know that when people treat one another with respect, everyone feels better about themselves. That’s what we’re trying to promote. That’s the Shady Pines Way!
And adults who are raising young children can get involved. Here’s an article on the Ten Things Every Parent and Grandparent Needs to Know About Bullying. GO HERE
Let us know what you are doing to stop the bullying in your child’s life in the comment section below.