You may have noticed billboards around town recently suggesting just that. Next week, Wheeling Country Day School will again take on bullying, a subject carrying with it quite a variety of reactions, to say the least. The mere mentioning of this problem can elicit every response from a silent eye roll to passionate personal accounts to the belief it is the scourge of society and just about everything in between. Whatever your thoughts, you owe it to yourself, and your kids, to hear Jim Bisenius, the child and adolescent therapist behind the program, Bully-Proofing Youth, at WCDS on January 24th at 6:30 pm. Wheeling Country Day School believes the first step to combating this uncomfortable, potentially dangerous issue is to acknowledge its existence. It is only then that we can begin taking realistic approaches to curb its consequences. “It is our hope that Mr. Bisenius can enlighten our community to the ongoing issues involving bullying and help all of us, parents, educators, and kids themselves, understand ways we can empower our children to combat the problem and curb its effects,” says Elizabeth Hofreuter-Landini, head of school at Wheeling Country Day. “And we are committed to providing that opportunity for our community here at our school. All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend on January 24th. Let’s talk about it.”
Mr. Bisenius has dedicated over twenty years to the topic itself, personally interviewing hundreds of clients from both sides of the issue. He explains that there are some key aspects of bullying that are consistent across the board, such as any response technique that does not enhance the ‘cool’ factor of the boy or girl being bullied is usually ineffective, and he uses this knowledge to empower targeted children with tools and strategies for shutting down these behaviors.
Bully-Proofing Youth with Jim Bisenius will be held on January 24th at 6:30 pm in the Wheeling Country Day School Gymnasium.
For more about Bully-Proofing Youth and other programs at Wheeling Country Day School please visit http://www.wcdsedu.com/