The Stay at Home Mother

The province of BC is proclaiming Feb. 25, 2009 as "Anti-Bullying Day" to support efforts to end bullying behaviours in schools and communities across the province.

All across British Columbia, parents, teachers and students and community members are taking a stand against bullying and saying that no one should ever be made to feel intimidated, afraid or discriminated against....

The Ministry of Education has developed a resource for parents that will be distributed to all public, independent and band schools to help families better understand their shared role in bullying prevention. The parent resource brochure and Internet safety tips are published in 14 languages and can be found online at www.bced.gov.bc.ca/sco/.

All 60 school districts have codes of conduct in place reflecting the legislation passed in the fall of 2007. This step fulfils a commitment to institute "zero tolerance" of bullying in B.C. schools. School districts across the province have set up student web forums, introduced anti-bullying programs facilitated by local police and community groups, and have made information available through school district websites to help parents deal with children who are either bullied or being bullies.

So tomorrow I shall send my son off to school wearing something pink - and I will as well too.

Bullying is serious. And doesn't happen to just boys - but girls too. 

It can create depression, anxiety and low self-esteem - scarring them, not only for their duration at school - but be carried in to adulthood, affecting every facet of their life.

So take a stand tomorrow and show a little "pink" support.