I’m sure that you’ve heard the phrase 'snitches get stitches.' I want you to really think about what that means.

You see, I think that people don’t understand what snitching really is when someone is seeking safety.

Bystander intervention has been found to be less common than expected. Many students witness bullying incidents but do not report them or intervene. Schools and organizations are working to educate students about the importance of standing up against bullying.

Unfortunately, I believe that bystanders choose not to act because the 'snitches get stitches' culture is so prevalent, and whether you know it or not, you and I have at one point or another supported that belief.

You see, there is great fear in REPORTING something out of concern that you will be seen as 'the snitch.'

I can think of several movies where a tragedy has happened, and the members of the community are still apprehensive or completely against reporting the perpetrator. The apprehension...

How are you doing with the school season starting up again? 

You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about kids’ behaviors because they’re definitely different than when you and I were growing up. I mean…they don’t do much outside!

That’s so weird to me. I actually kicked my two teens out of the house for an hour hoping they would take a walk or come up with some type of activity to spend the hour. 

Do you know what they did? 

THEY SAT AT THE FRONT DOOR. THE. ENTIRE. HOUR!

Can you believe that?!

And, YES! I took their devices. 

You see, studies show that being outside for at least 15 minutes around nature helps increase high energy and reduces depression, anxiety, and many other negative mental health effects.

Kids are spending too much time indoors, particularly in their bedrooms. Without having exposure to natural vitamin D (sunlight) and mixing that with always being in front of a screen, kids are more prone to developing...

Kids are more in tune with world affairs than you might realize. As a matter of fact, there has been a rise in minors using Twitter to keep up with the news.  

While it’s great that they’re interested in staying up to date, kids can get more and more anxious and fearful. 

So, although they might seem ok or unphased about what’s going on, start asking questions. The first thing you want to know is how much they know.

Before you start this conversation with them, consider a game plan. You might be surprised about what they could tell you. 

  First of all, ask open-ended questions. Example: What have your friends been sharing about the conflict in Ukraine? How do you and your friends feel about the school shootings in the U.S.? 

  Validate their feelings. Kids have a right to feel what they feel because their emotions are real to them.  

  Answer their questions with the truth. When you do this, adjust your language...

There are so many controversies about kids and social media.

This is what people have said. 

  Parents can get sued by social media platforms if their kids are caught on a platform they're not old enough to be on.

  Social media platforms are nothing but trouble for kids. 

  Kids shouldn't be on social media. 

  I don’t need to monitor my child’s devices. They’re responsible and know what to not do.

  As long as my child’s account is private, they’ll be ok. 

But the thing is, most parents don't know enough about the dangers and safety measures they should implement to keep their kids safe online.

That’s why before you give your child a device that allows them to get on social media, YOU MUST educate yourself first. 

To give you an idea about why you should seek out education about social media dangers, here are some stats. 

According to the Pew Research Center studies, the...

Being a good digital citizen means that an online user has the knowledge and skills necessary to use digital tech for communication, participation in society, and the creation and consumption of digital content.

Before we allow children to use the internet, it is our responsibility to educate them to be savvy online users so that they don’t become part of the problem. We see a lot of cyberbullying, invasion of privacy, and a lot of oversharing of private information online that puts children and others in danger.

Here is a list of examples highlighting the traits and behaviors of a good digital citizen:

1. Respecting Others: Treat others online with kindness, empathy, and respect, just as you would in face-to-face interactions.
2. Practicing Responsible Posting: Be mindful of the content you share online, considering the potential impact on others and the reputation of yourself and others involved.
3. Protecting Privacy: Respecting the privacy of others by not sharing personal...

One of the most pervasive ways that people hurt others is through gossiping, which is a form of social bullying. It is usually done in person or online.

Social bullying is when one tarnishes the reputation and character of another person. Usually, this includes gossiping, telling others not to engage with the victim for any reason, sabotaging the victim's relationships in one way or another, and other methods.

TEACH KIDS NOT TO BE AN AUDIENCE FOR GOSSIP.

When kids refuse to listen to gossip, people stop gossiping. The gossiper might even feel embarrassed that they tried to initiate, as well as those engaging in it. By teaching kids to refuse to be a listener, they send the message that gossip is not important to them and maybe even that it's distasteful.

In case you were not aware, kids are often more influenced by their peers' disapproval than by their parent's perspective.

Kids may engage in gossip for several reasons, including:

• Showing power: Since kids like the idea of having...

When my kids were around 10 years old, they started asking for a smartphone. Specifically, for an iPhone. 

They did what all kids do. They were consistent with asking. 

My older daughter even wrote me a letter stating all of the reasons why she NEEDED to have one. 

She made promises and tried to convince me that she would be the happiest child in the world if she had a phone. 

I said NO. 

My intent was to keep them off social media and overall off the internet as much and as long as possible. But, their schools kept gearing them to use online tools for them to do their homework and projects. 

That frustrated me and it didn’t help me. 

But I persisted and continued to educate myself in case I was being unreasonable. 

As they got older they earned the privilege to use it. But, it was not without a lot of discussions and even a contract. That contract included an agreement about how to use it, what to report, and that they would...

I’m going to make this short because I know many of you are celebrating Easter, Ramadan Karim, or Kosher and Happy Passover. 

However you are spending this week, I hope that you have an amazing time and that you’re spending it with people whose good energy refuels you. 

One thing I’d like to invite you to think about today is how much energy you’ve spent on the things and people you really care about. 

April is the beginning of the second quarter for many people who have goals that they want to accomplish before the end of June. 

So, if your goal is personal, professional, or both, take time to analyze and make necessary adjustments to your plan if needed so that you can get closer to your goal. 

Don’t forget to allow your cheerleaders to celebrate every win with you and most of all when you’re feeling burnt out, step away for a bit and then keep going. 

Lastly, include your children in your planning session so...