Kindness is Key

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

For many of us, November has been exhausting. The contentiousness of the U.S. presidential election has kept many who work with children and youth on edge. Our children are like sponges and soak up the good and the bad of our collective behavior. Unfortunately, many have picked up on the not-so good.

But all hope is not lost.

We have opportunities to transform how people relate to one another in our communities and classrooms. I recently attended the International Bullying Prevention Association Conference in New Orleans. The theme was “Getting to the Bottom of It: Bullying Prevention through Empathy and Kindness.”

Kindness is powerful. Author and education expert Dr. Michelle Borba noted in her opening keynote that empathy is “we” not “me.” Instilling a we attitude in our children is vital. This can be done in and out of school through experiential activities.

Sunday, Nov. 13, gave us all an opportunity to turn me into we as the nation observed World Kindness Day, a 24-hour global campaign dedicated to paying it forward and focusing on the good. Empowered Flower Girl encourages you to engage – and engage youth – in activities that make a difference year round!

Make kindness go viral.

Events at Beaumont Hospital to Kick Off Bullying Prevention Month in Michigan

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

Bullying often goes unreported by students in many schools across the country. Despite research findings that show bullying has significant long-term impacts on both victims and perpetrators, many young people are reluctant to speak up.

It is up to parents, teachers, counselors and youth advocates to learn the signs of bullying and know how to effectively respond to children and youth.

That’s why the International Bullying Prevention Association (IBPA), in partnership with Beaumont Children’s, is hosting the Michigan Bullying Prevention Conference on October 1, 2016. The event, scheduled at Beaumont Hospital’s campus in Royal Oak, will unite diverse groups of youth advocates to discuss bullying and peer aggression. They will also develop strategies and solutions to take back to their schools and communities.

Patti Agatston, Ph.D., a national cyberbullying expert and IBPA president, and Anne Collier, founder of the iCanHelpLine, will open up the conference with a keynote and discussion on “Cyberbullying and Digital Citizenship Strategies.”

Workshop topics include restorative practices, school climate, bullying and suicide, effective communication strategies, cyberbullying and legal aspects of bullying and many more.

Registration is $25 per person and includes breakfast and lunch. Professional development credits are available. Principals, teachers, counselors, liaison officers, social workers, school board members and those working in community agencies are encouraged to attend.

The conference will be preceded by a free event for parents and adult family members covering information and strategies specific to online safety. Karuna Nain, Facebook global safety manager, will present “Navigating the Social World with Your Teens — Insights from Facebook,” on Thursday, September 29. Registration is required for this event.

The Michigan Bullying Prevention Conference is sponsored by Beaumont Children’s, NoBLE (No Bullying Live Empowered) and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Additional support comes from the Michigan Elementary and Secondary Principals Association (MEMSPA).

For more information or to register for the conference, visit www.ibpaworld.org/mi.

Is It Teasing, Bullying or Something Else? Experts Across the Country Make the Distinction

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

In an effort to help parents and caregivers identify and address bullying, WedMD recently published the feature “What Does Bullying Look Like?”

Patricia Agatston, Ph.D., International Bullying Prevention Association president, and others across the country, offered their expertise in defining what is and what isn’t bullying and what can be done to identify and support children who’ve been impacted by it.  Read the full feature here.

Agatston, a national cyberbullying, will be among the speakers at the Michigan Bullying Prevention Conference, scheduled October 1, 2016, in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Registration for the full-day event is $25 and includes breakfast and lunch. The conference will be preceded by a FREE social media workshop for parents.  Karuna Nain, Facebook global safety manager, will present “Navigating the Social World with Your Teens — Insights from Facebook,” on Thursday, September 29. Visit the Michigan conference website for details.

 

Empowering, inspiring events

Posted on by empoweredflowergirl

Join Empowered Flower Girl in attending and celebrating these events and observances:

Bullying Prevention Month
Observed the entire month of October
DETAILS: Founded in 2006 by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, the campaign is observed during the month of October and unites communities nationwide to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention.

Community Conversation on Bullying
Oct. 26, 2018 [Waterford, Michigan]
DETAILS: Defeat the Label will host its 3rd annual Community Conversation on Bullying. The event brings together members of the community including representatives from the fields of education, medical, legal and mental health with the goal of supplying the information and tools necessary to engage educators, parents and students to be proactive in their anti-bullying efforts within their own communities. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. Empowered Flower Girl’s Rasheda Kamaria will be among the workshop presenters facilitating “Mentoring Girls & Inspiring Sisterhood: In the Age of Bad Girls, Housewives and Frenemies.”

Beautiful Me University
Nov. 10, 2018 [Detroit, Michigan]
DETAILS: Me, Myself & I Teens will host hands-on workshops, discussions and an afternoon of empowerment for girls 12-19. Attendees will receive a workbook and certificate of completion (Beautiful Degree of Me). Empowered Flower Girl will facilitate the Social Secrets: What Teens Should Know workshop. Register for FREE at mmiteens.com/bmu2018.