Do Not Let Your Self-Worth Be Defined By Bullies.

The above video was passed along to me through another Waldwick teacher, and again forwarded to me from a Waldwick parent.  Please take the time to watch this video, hopefully with your children, and have an honest discussion with them.  Jennifer Livingston makes excellent points in this video about bullying behavior.  If your child hears his or her parents making insulting comments at home, chances are he or she will exhibit this language in school through learned behavior.  She also reminds us to look beyond the exteriors of others and understand that we are all truly human. 

                                                                                                                                                       I encourage everyone to please think about the e-mail/text/instant message you are about to send and the intents of your message.  Ask yourself, “Is this message going to cause a positive or a negative reaction to the recipient?”   Before you make a joke at another person’s expense, ask yourself, “Is the laughter of others truly worth hurting someone else’s self-esteem?” 

October is National Anti-Bulling Month.  Here in N.J., more specifically, October 1st - October 5th is the Week of Respect.  Please use the above video to create conversation with your children or students.  And please pass Mrs. Livingston’s message along to them: “Do not let your self-worth be defined by bullies.”