Please forgive my absence. It has been an eventful Summer. As many of you know I have been working on more books and lots of educational activities related to anti-bullying. This past season has been rewarding both professionally and personally because I was able to welcome a new family member into my life. My son was born in early September and he has been a complete joy to me. The more I connect with him the more I feel connected with the purpose of self-esteem, literacy and diversity education. My son is not even two months but I have already encountered adults saying that he will be teased when he gets to school because of his name. This made me think about how we should all be more careful with our words. If an adult is predicting that a baby's name is justifiably "teaseable" does that set an example for kids to do it with vigor because his name is not a common one? In some ways do we set the stage for our young people to bully and be bullied? I have talked to so many kids and parents that have said they were teased around adults and that the solution was to grow thicker skin or to brush it off. I was just thinking at what point do we hold not only the perpetrator of bullying accountable for their actions but also those who witness it or justify it? I am excited because this weekend not only do I get to sign books at the Shelby Township Barnes & Noble (Sat. 4-6) and the Troy location (Sun. 4-6) but I also get to discuss anti-bullying and get others engaged in the topic.
-Read something great
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