Bully Free......the way to be!

Happy Friday to you, Friends! Can you believe that March is just about over? I have one more very special lunch to share with you before March slips away. Many of you already are aware that the month of October in the U.S. is National Bullying Prevention Month...a month set aside to increase awareness of bullying of children of all ages. In recent months, there have been several heartbreaking and tragic incidents in the news involving severe bullying, some to the point of suicide. To help draw attention to this growing problem that our young people face, the Bento Bloggers & Friends are hosting a Anti-Bullying blog hop, and I am privileged to be a part of it.

 

What is bullying?

Bullying can be verbal, physical, social, or via the Internet. It can severely affect the victim's self-image, social interactions, and school performance―often leading to loneliness, low self-esteem, depression and anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress, eating disorders, and other long-lasting harmful emotional effects in the adult years.

Did you know?
**  Every 7 minutes a child is bullied.
**  More than 160,000 U.S. students stay home
      each day from fear of being bullied.
**  35% of kids have been threatened online.
**  1 out of 4 school students is bullied.
**  32% of high school bully victims have
      considered suicide.



Bullying is indeed no trivial matter. Bullying is very serious, and we must all work together to fight against this horrific tormenting behavior against our young people today. As a parent, it is my responsibility to teach my children that bullying is unacceptable. Through my own example, I'm trying to teach my children that it is wrong to ridicule differences (i.e., race, religion, appearance, special needs, gender, economic status), and I'm trying to instill in them a sense of empathy for those who are different. Respect, kindness, compassion, and acceptance are qualities I want my kids to be known for.

If you are interested in learning more about bullying or want to know how to help your kids avoid becoming a victim of bullying, here are 2 very good sites to visit: What if I'm being bullied? and Pacer....Kids Against Bullying.

Here is a great YouTube video that young people will appreciate, as well.... Beat a Bully Without Using Your Fist. Both of my kids (6 and 14) have watched this video and have asked repeatedly to see it again. I hope you will take the time to watch it.


Well, I told you at the beginning of this post that I was participating in an Anti-Bullying blog hop, so let's get to the lunch.

This lunch is packed in EasyLunchBoxes.
*peanut butter and all-fruit spread sandwich cut into a shape of a stop sign- I cut a tortilla with the stop sign cutter and sprayed it with red Wilton Color Mist and then, placed it on top of the sandwich. The words "Bully free...the way to be" are cut from Swiss cheese. The peace sign is a candy cupcake icing decoration.
*pretzels
*black seedless grapes with candy peace sign (There is a wedge of apple under the grapes.)
*sweet corn with homemade "Be a buddy...not a bully" pick

As I said above, though, this is an Anti-Bullying blog hop. So, hop on over to Chaos and Confections to see Jessie's great anti-bullying themed lunch. Just click the button below, and you know you have completed the hop when you arrive back here. Enjoy the hop Friends!!
         
                                               

Some of the things, or similar things, that I used to make this lunch: