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Beyond the Schoolyard: How to Handle Adult Bullying

Beyond the Schoolyard: How to Handle Adult Bullying

Like childhood bullies, adult abusers often have low self-esteem and belittle others to make themselves feel powerful; they will not curb their behaviors unless someone holds them accountable. Unlike children, however, adult bullies rarely resort to physicality when they dominate. Instead, they use subtler, spoken forms of manipulation and harassment such as: demanding their victim purchase food or items with no recompense, rolling their eyes whenever their target attempts to talk, gossiping about a specific coworker when they aren’t around, or being overly critical of another’s actions and appearance. With the rise of Facebook and Twitter, some victims are unable to physically escape harassment or confront anonymous abusers about their behavior. Regardless of whether it occurs online or in-person, bullying ultimately leads to poor work performance, low self-esteem, and even depression on the victim’s part.

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Creating a Culture of Kindness for the Holidays

Creating a Culture of Kindness for the Holidays

Autumn has come again. As the leaves change and the weather cools, the evenings increasingly lend themselves to relaxing nights with family, sipping hot apple cider and enjoying the warmth of each other’s company. Thanksgiving is just around the corner; Christmas, just a stretch further. The holiday season is almost upon us, bringing with it the promise of joyful family gatherings and the delight of shared traditions to come. But sometimes, these would-be celebrations can bring out a less kind, less joyful side in all of us.

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Little Mirrors: Why Modeling Good Behavior Matters

Little Mirrors: Why Modeling Good Behavior Matters

Consider this: According to documents published by the California Department of Education, children begin imitating their caretakers’ behaviors at as young as eight months old. However, a child growing up in our media-centric culture doesn’t live in a bubble. Like tiny sponges, our children take in behavioral cues from their parents, teachers, classmates, and even those they see on television – and increasingly, the actions they see modeled are far off from the ones parents want them to learn.

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