In a matter of three weeks, five gay teenagers have committed suicide across the United States as the result of torment from peers. The teens from ages 13 to 19 suffered from bullying and extreme invasion of privacy and I can only imagine from intense feelings of isolation and fear. So how do we protect our children who are viewed as “different”? How do we teach them to value their lives no matter what happens to them or who tells them otherwise? It’s tricky. Young teenagers listen to their friends more than they do their parents, however young children absorb … Continue reading →

Growing up, everyone experiences the wrath of a bully on at least one occasion. For a child with a disability, it can be a daily battle. As adults, most of us know that bullying is wrong and mean, and we try to teach our children to be nice to everyone. But for kids, this can be difficult when they are faced with the peer pressure to fit in. There is always advice being offered on how to deal with a bully at school, but is it possible to keep the bullying from ever starting in the first place? Maybe. When … Continue reading →

When we send our kids off to school, we are fully aware that bullies will be lurking there. Kids can be cruel. However, when we head out in public with our special needs children and it is the adults that stare and make rude comments, what is a parent to do? Parents of special needs children often complain about the rudeness of strangers. Stares and comments are directed at children who are autistic, who use wheelchairs or who have medical equipment attached to them. No matter what the disability or medical issue a child has, there is never an excuse … Continue reading →