How has this program and you being an educator helped your son with dealing with bullies going from middle school until college?
We found that schools and youth organizations started asking us to come and speak. [I allowed] my son, instead of me, to do the speaking. One, because it was relatable to the other students because he’s closer in age. And two, it positioned him to help other kids on a larger scale. And so it helped him speaking about his experience, he learned how he was empowering other people and himself. My son is now studying clinical psychology because he found his niche to want to help people talk through his situations.
What can parents look for when situations such as this arise?
One of the things I really encourage my parents, when we speak at the PTO or PTA meetings, is really [to be] diligent about spending 15 minutes of your day of complete focus on your child. Tell them about your day first, to engage the student. And then you ask them about their day. And to see what kind of cues they may drop. And then cater to that. We definitely have to be intentional about that. It’s a small commitment, as a parent, but it will make a huge difference in your child’s life.
