Welcome to the Counselor's Corner!
Important Information
Cyber Bullying
What is Cyber Bullying? Viviana Jacques, a Community Outreach & Education Specialist from the office of the Arizona Attorney General, came to Red Rock School on August 23, 2011 to educate our middle school students on cyber bullying. Here are some facts that parents may find helpful:
- Nearly 42% of kids have been bullied online and almost one in four have had it happen more than once.
- Among this percentage, being ignored and disrespected were the most common forms of cyber bullying.
- Nine out of ten middle school students have had their feelings hurt online.
- About 75% have visited a Web site bashing another student.
- Four out of ten middle school students have had their password(s) stolen and changed by a bully who then locked them out of their own account or sent communications posing as them.
- About 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mails.
- The psychological and emotional outcomes of cyber bullying are similar to real-life bullying outcomes, except for the reality that with cyber bullying there is often no escape. School ends at 3:00 p.m., while the Internet is available all the time.
- The primary cyber bullying location where victimizing occurs, at 56%, is in chat rooms.
- Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying.
- About 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than four out of ten say it has happened more than once.
- Cyber bullying has increased in recent years. In a national survey of 10-17 year olds, twice as many children indicated they had been victims and perpetrators.
Motivating Children to be Active
When children are active, their bodies can do the things they want and need them to do. Regular exercise helps children to have strong muscles and bones, controls weight, allows them to sleep better, and decreases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Not only that, healthy and physically active children are more likely to be academically motivated, alert, and successful, which leads to a strong self-esteem.
With school-age children, spending more time on sedentary pursuits like watching TV and playing computer and video games, the challenge for parents is to help children find physical activities they enjoy and feel successful doing. Activities can range from traditional sports like baseball and basketball to scouting, camping, hiking, and other outdoor pursuits. Children with a great deal of athletic ability may want to be on a sports team, while those with interest but not as much ability, may just enjoy shooting hoops on the driveway. Children who are not athletic are likely to need a parent’s help and encouragement to remain active, even though they aren’t top athletic performers.
No matter what your child’s level of athletic ability is, remember that all children can be physically fit. Your positive attitude will help a child who is reluctant to exercise. Be active yourself and support your child’s interests. As schedules start getting busy during these years, don’t forget to set aside some time for free play.
