Friday, June 29, 2012

Bullying Prevention and Bully Intervention Mistakes



How would you like it if your Doctor just started operating on your child with no tests, diagnosis or even interview?

This is not only dangerous but could have catastrophic consequences.  I have observed that this is all too common practice among some in the anti-bully movement.  Prescription without diagnosis is a common pitfall that needs to be avoided.  This is also among the reasons of why I do not agree with so called anti-bullying legislation nor school-wide anti-bullying policies as an effectual means to deal with the particular issues involved in bullying.  Although well intentioned, my experience clearly shows that those are backwards approaches to addressing the core issues of bullying and aggressive behavior.

by John D. Nottingham

Bullying 911 - Misdiagnosis
We have to be cautious that we do not treat cases in an overly generalized manner.  In my programs and workshops I emphasize a more individualized approach where diagnosis is key to recommending a course for treatment.

The two most common assumptions are:
1. The child is incapable of self rescue.
2. The child is capable of self rescue.

Preventing Bullying With Wisdom, Training and Compassion
The main emphasis of my programs are to BULLYPROOF or more accurately, victim-proof children with social and safety skills so that they are armed for life.  Doing everything for a child and insulating them from all difficulty is a sure way of disarming them and leaving them vulnerable.  However, sometimes children are in need of specific intervention.  That is why my team and I view it a process of moving from dependence to independence to interdependence.


Bubble Wrapped Kids From Helicopter Parenting?
We don't want to cripple children by doing everything for them and robbing them of the skills and lessons to grow into healthy, productive and functioning individuals.  At the same time, we need to be aware that some children need more help than others.  This is based on the social, safety and individual dynamics of the bullying situation.

If you would like to learn more about our assessment process and bullying prevention training programs, networking or efforts, please feel free to contact me personally at:

 BullyProofVestAZ@gmail.com

John Nottingham, PI, EPS, 6th Degree Master Black Belt
Founder Bullying Prevention Initiative International / Phoenix BullyProof Project
Author: BULLYPROOF YOUR KIDS: How to Handle a Bully Like a Bodyguard

Sponsored by:
Nottingham Sword & Shield Security Bodyguards
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