Seven things to look for in an Anti-Bullying Program
1. The program is protocol based. You need a step-by-step program, not something you have to patch together yourself.
2. The program is law enforcement based. Who has more real world experience than street cops in dealing with bullies?
3. The program has real testimonials / endorsements from parents and police.
4. The program isolates the bully as the problem rather than the victim’s response.
5. The program focuses on how to prevent and deal with bullying for your family, not the entire school.
6. A practical, proven program that is reality based, not academic theory based.
7. The program spends 90% of the time on non-violent or non-confrontational strategies.
Seven RED FLAGS in an Anti-Bullying Program to Avoid
1. Any claim to Bully Proof your child. That’s impossible. Anyone can be bullied.
2. Any program suggesting you make a friend of the bully or joke your way out.
3. A program that is self defense centric. “Just kick him in the ding ding!†is not a solution.
4. Any program suggesting you ignore the bully. This is called “denial.â€
5. Psychology based theory from psychologists or counselors. Professors love to study bullying and try to use their conclusions as a strategy for dealing with bully. The real world does not work like that.
6. Any program suggesting the bully is weak or cowardly and is actually “crying out†for a friend or lacks self-esteem. It doesn’t matter or help.
7. Programs that seek to prevent bullying on a school wide basis aka a whole-school approach. The C.O.B.R.A. Anti-Bully Action Plan is about your family. That’s it. We have no fantasy of ending bullying school wide, but we know how to end it for your family.