What to teach your child if they are being bullied

Michael Pritchard, Humanist & Child Advocate, shares advice for parents on what to tell and teach to your child if you find out that he or she is being bullied
What To Teach Your Child If They Are Bullied - Michael Pritchard
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What to teach your child if they are being bullied

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When you find out that your child, your son, your daughter is being bullied and they've become a victim, teach them first don't volunteer to be a victim. That's number one. Second, what it's going to be? Whine or shine? Bitter or better? Complain or gain? You know that these are internal choices. You have to stand up for yourself. The great line is if I'm not for me, who will be? If I'm only for me, what am I? And if not now, when? Learn to stand up for yourself and find your voice and defend yourself and protect yourself. But also be that detective for your child that says, hey, if you're being bullied you need to talk about it. You can't, if you hold it all in you'll implode. You'll be raging at home or in school. And kids are so wise about this. And if you see your kid come home every day, and they're taking everything out on your loving heart and your kindness and your compassion, and they're a sensitive person, the alarm bells should go off that's something wrong. They're getting hurt at school. So help process with art. Get them to draw stuff. Get them to write stuff. Get them to write a letter about bullying. Get them to say something about what they think about bullying. This is why whenever I go to schools I ask them, write an anonymous letter to me about what you think we should do about bullying? And it's revealed almost simultaneously at the same time that the bullies hurt each other as much as they get hurt. And they become those bullies. We create those bullies. So it's very powerful to let your kid know - don't choose to go down that path. Don't become what you most dislike and you most, you know, fear - a bully. Choose not to do that. And choose to be a person that accepts, there's going to be bullying. There's going to be toxicity. There's going to be trash talk. But you have to rise above it through strength of character, courage, and a defined sense of purpose in your life. What do you want to be? Who do you want to be? Doesn't this get in your way. And don't become what would get in your way.

Michael Pritchard, Humanist & Child Advocate, shares advice for parents on what to tell and teach to your child if you find out that he or she is being bullied

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Michael Pritchard

Humanist & Child Advocate

Michael Pritchard is a nationally acclaimed keynote speaker praised by the Wall Street Journal, CNN and Time for his ability to use humor to inspire and educate his audiences on communication skills. Michael Pritchard is a big guy with a warm heart who as one student described him, “truly walks as he talks.”

He began his career on both the comedy stage and as a juvenile counselor in San Francisco’s Youth Guidance Center. In 1980, Michael Pritchard won first place in the San Francisco International Stand Up Comedy Competition as well as winning the prestigious California Probation Officer of the Year.

Michael’s offers from Hollywood rolled in including a guest appearance on an Emmy Award winning episode of “Taxi”. His sensational standup comedy billed him with Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld, Dana Carvey and Whoopi Goldberg playing venues as Caesar’s, the Comedy Store, Universal Ampitheater and opening for such names as Diana Ross, the Grateful Dead, Kenny Rogers, Mike Mc Donald and Boz Scaggs. But Michael rejected offers from Hollywood to focus on using his comic talents for inspiring youth and adults.

Drawing from his counseling background, Michael Pritchard began using humor to inspire, teach communication skills, anger management, diversity, conflict resolution and overcoming burnout and stress.

His broad base of audience from corporate employees, healthcare workers, government and state officials have honored him with countless standing ovations and numerous awards including: President’s Volunteer Action Award, Commendation - Office of the Attorney General , Paul Harris Fellowship - Rotary International, Toastmaster’s International Speaker, Outstanding Performance - Federal Executive Board , Josephine Duveneck Humanitarian Award and the Key to the City of San Francisco.As a result of his work, Michael Pritchard has been featured on CNN, NBC’s “The Today Show”, “The Tonight Show”, CBS “Sunday Morning” with Charles Kuralt, “Time” magazine and “People” magazine.

His seven educational series for PBS and distribution has been seen by millions and focuses on youth guidance in the areas of violence prevention. “The Power of Choice” “You can Choose”, “Big Changes, Big Choices”.

Forming Heartland Media, he continued with “Red Ribbon Week” and “PeaceTalks” teaching students to make positive choices.“SOS: Saving Our Schools from Hate and Violence”, featured in both Time magazine and on CNN, filmed after the tragic Columbine disaster. His new series: “Lifesteps” builds the social and emotional intelligence in youth and has already received the Parents Choice Award

For his work in promoting nonviolence with youth, Dr. Michael Pritchard was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Hartwick University and winning, 2001 Lewis Hine’s Award for Service to Children & Youth Certificate of Appreciation and the 2002 Marin Community Foundations Beryl Buck Fund Award for achievement in Promoting Nonviolence.

As an extension of Heartland Media, he established Heartland Media Foundation building character and emotional intelligence, violence prevention, inciting motivation and leadership in both youth and adults to improve schools and communities. The foundation provides youth guidance programs, including video, print curriculum, and live presentations by Michael Pritchard to aid in schools and communities where the funding is limited.

In the fund raising capacity, Michael Pritchard has help raise millions of dollars by donating his time and talent to events and various charitable organizations including: Boys and Girls Club – Ronald McDonald House –Salvation Army - Jewish Family Services – SF Giants Community Fund – American Heart Association –Women’s Wellness Forum – Special Olympics - CASA Court Appointed Special Advocates - Bread & Roses – Recreation Center for the Handicapped –– DARE –– Texan’s War on Drugs –– Vietnam Vets of America - Guide Dogs for the Blind

More Parenting Videos from Michael Pritchard >
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Transcription: 
When you find out that your child, your son, your daughter is being bullied and they've become a victim, teach them first don't volunteer to be a victim. That's number one. Second, what it's going to be? Whine or shine? Bitter or better? Complain or gain? You know that these are internal choices. You have to stand up for yourself. The great line is if I'm not for me, who will be? If I'm only for me, what am I? And if not now, when? Learn to stand up for yourself and find your voice and defend yourself and protect yourself. But also be that detective for your child that says, hey, if you're being bullied you need to talk about it. You can't, if you hold it all in you'll implode. You'll be raging at home or in school. And kids are so wise about this. And if you see your kid come home every day, and they're taking everything out on your loving heart and your kindness and your compassion, and they're a sensitive person, the alarm bells should go off that's something wrong. They're getting hurt at school. So help process with art. Get them to draw stuff. Get them to write stuff. Get them to write a letter about bullying. Get them to say something about what they think about bullying. This is why whenever I go to schools I ask them, write an anonymous letter to me about what you think we should do about bullying? And it's revealed almost simultaneously at the same time that the bullies hurt each other as much as they get hurt. And they become those bullies. We create those bullies. So it's very powerful to let your kid know - don't choose to go down that path. Don't become what you most dislike and you most, you know, fear - a bully. Choose not to do that. And choose to be a person that accepts, there's going to be bullying. There's going to be toxicity. There's going to be trash talk. But you have to rise above it through strength of character, courage, and a defined sense of purpose in your life. What do you want to be? Who do you want to be? Doesn't this get in your way. And don't become what would get in your way.