I was interviewed for the South Florida Parenting Magazine of the Sun-Sentinel.
David Sherman, a youth mentor with Broward Schools, is familiar with bullying intervention. He went through some difficult times during his childhood with teasing and bullying, inspiring him to become part of the prevention program.
“Being bullied can change the course of a child’s life in a negative direction for a very long time, and the damage from bullying can be devastating to a child,” said Sherman, who is a health and life coach. “Having two sons of my own increased my sensitivity to what kids go through, and I wanted to help kids find their voice and self-worth. Schools are becoming increasingly aware of the epidemic and are definitely trying to do their part.”
Sherman says schools recognize the effects of bullying and are getting outside organizations to lecture on the subject and bringing in professionals to assist children in a one-on-one setting.
“Bullying shatters confidence and self-esteem,” said Sherman, who uses various techniques to help children focus on turning negatives into positives and control their emotions. “With the various ways that a child can be bullied, we really must catch this sort of thing as early as possible and figure out ways to build a child’s self-esteem to combat and fight off this negativity. There is no bully without a victim.”
Read the whole article: Making students feel safe: Schools prioritize bullying education
