Bullying, It Gets Better

Bullying has to stop!  It is getting ridiculous.  It is also garnering a lot of media attention, and igniting a lot of special interest groups.

This is an emotional city councilman from Fort Worth City.  It is a lengthy clip, but darn good.



I must echo what he says.  It does get better.  Your high school years do not define you for your life.  You grow up and move on.  You find friends with your personality and share similarities.  It does get better.  It doesn't matter your race, gender, sexual orientation, or background, or different in any other kind of matter, you are not lesser or better than anyone!

Bullying needs to be curbed.  Especially now as it is morphing into cyber-bullying.  If you see it, stop it.  If you are bullying, quit it.  If you are being bullied, talk to someone you trust.

Read a previous post on assessing bullying, and other information about bullying.

Canada's Most Dangerous Cities

Recently MacLeans magazine did a story on Canada's most dangerous cities.  They looked at certain factors, such as homicide, sexual assault, vehicle theft, and robbery.

It's interesting to note that Western Canadian cities dominate the "naughty-list", while Eastern Canada is on the "good-list".  This seems to coordinate well with the number of counsellors per-person by province "survey" that I did.  There are more counsellors and therapists in Western Canada.  Would love to see if there is the same type of consistency in the USA.  That is a ratio to high crime rates, and a high ratio of counsellors and therapists.

Have a dart around the MacLeans website and check out where your city ranks overall, or in one of the particular areas. It just might influence where you move next.

Assessing Bullying & Information

Great information has been provided by NCFR about bullying.  This research defines bullying, outlines warning signs, characteristics of the perpetrator & victim, and also provides an assessment tool.

Read the full document here.  I would highly recommend this for anyone dealing with a group of children or youth.

For Health’s Sake Marry Someone Your Age

Check out my column in the Battleford's News Optimist!

Remember, marry someone your age for longevity.  Plus get some info on other ways to increase your years on this planet!

Moving Beyond High School Insecurities

I love the points that Julie Hanks makes about high school insecurities.  My favourite is her first point.  Things that happen in adolescents impact you, but they don't define you.  Who you are/were in high school isn't going to be you for the rest of your life.

My next favourite point is that people grow and change.  That annoying smart person in the back, may not be like that any more.  The girl who dropped out because she became pregnant may have gone back, graduated and may be in a much more stable relationship.  People change.  That is an essential point.  You can't keep looking to the past to define a person today.  The past is a learning experience that has shaped and moulded, and even changed that person into what they are today.

Read her entire post here.

Courageous Parenting

Please read my new post on being a Courageous Parent on either Notes on Parenting or Essential Fathers.

Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

There was a great article in the London Free Press about stepping outside of your comfort zone.

How easy is it for us to just go through life on chartered paths instead of the uncharted.  How many times have we made up excuses to not go to something?  Great things can happen if we learn to step outside of our comfort zone.  I have learned this for myself, but it is still a work in progress.

You can read past articles by Allison Graham here, and check out her website here.