An Oprah Ah-Ha Moment in the land of Sunny Cali

The flight to San Diego was long but well worth it. The sun was shining while my home town of Perrysburg was in frozen tundra. Off I went to mingle and pick the brains of those of like mind. All these amazing individuals all here for the same purpose, HOW CAN WE STOP THE BULLY, How can we educate and how can we make a difference. 

International Anti-Bullying Convention in California

I quickly realized after only a few minutes that my home, my community, the schools that my children attend is majorly behind in times when it comes to the fight of “Bullying Behaviors”.   How can this be?  We pride ourselves on a decent education, Blue Ribbons schools and the finest of the finest when it comes to Mid-West living, however when I walk around and hear stories of what other schools and communities are doing to make sure that their children feel safe and secure while they attend school, play in their neighborhoods or honestly actually work, I start to feel sick to my stomach. No joke I at one point thought I was going to pass out because of all the information I was hearing. I was a little, no scratch that a lot embarrassed when people asked what do I do and what is my community doing in this arena.

I feel as if we are such failures for not only our children but ourselves.  When you think of the word Bully most individuals will think of the typical school yard bully. I am here to tell you it is much deeper than that, considerably deeper.  Bullies do not discriminate, they could care less if you were from a wealthy family, poor family, typical family with mom and dad or if you simply just have one parent struggling to keep their kids in line.  You could have 1 mom; 2 moms; 1 dad; 2 dads or even be in foster care a bully will find their way under that thick skin.  Again, they do not discriminate everyone is fair play when it comes to their game plan.

Myself with Dr. Dan Olweus and his sister from Norway

I was blessed enough to meet and speak with Dr. Dan Owelvus from Norway who has been the leader in Bullying Prevention for many, many years. I met with developers of bullying programs and applications, literary authors of educational as well as real life inspirational stories.  I was lucky enough to meet a few film directors, district attorney’s, leading world researchers in bullying prevention and the list could go on and on.  And with each one of the individuals I was able to share the story of my son Tarique and all about Tariques-Voice.org.  I was shocked by the encouragement, the willingness to help get the organization off the ground, the exchange of personal cell phone numbers, emails and such to be there if we needed extra guidance.  I had many people who were willing to come to Ohio for FREE to help me, to speak to the schools, to guide Tarique in his quest for advocacy.

 For over a year I have been attempting to embed Tariques-Voice into our community and doing this all on my own.  Many who know me understand that I am a social worker for a large Mental Health Organization called Zepf Mental Health. While I am grateful for their wiliness to allow me to share my passion regarding bullying here and there, let’s face it my income from Zepf alone cannot support my family and my organization, it barely supports me enough to feed my own children.  Yet each night I come home and I research, I blog, I connect to children who reach out through Tariques-Voice looking for someone to hear their cry.

I was able this week to really see the severe need in our community and how blind the schools and variety of agencies can be when it comes to Bullying.  They believe that a poster here, a pep rally there and let’s maybe put a Bullying Reporting box in the front of the classrooms are going to be enough.  So many children are suffering on so many levels it is absolutely mind blowing when you take a look at the numbers.  Some would say “what is a little bit of teasing going to do, it helps put hair on their chest”.  Well let’s entertain that utterly ridiculous idea for just a second. Supposed it does put “a little bit of hair on their chest”, but what about the layers beneath? Coming from the mental health world I see it affect kids and adults on so many levels such as depression, suicidal thoughts, attempts of suicide, the beginnings of alcohol and drug use, prostitution, gang activity, post-traumatic stress stemming from the continued trauma after being exposed to bullying behaviors time and time again.  Many of these children live in poverty stricken areas where life in itself if hard and to deal with continued ridicule day in and day out from the “bully” at times kids just say enough is enough.  This my friends is where the guns come into play, kids reach out, nothing is done and well face it they take care of business the only way they know how.  They either kill themselves or kill those who have inflicted the pain upon them.  But does it have to be that way?  Where as a society can we step in and say “I hear you”.

This is my Ahhhh-Ha moment!  I had questioned am I doing enough? What different actions can I take to really get out there and make a difference?  Do I continue to feel bound by the chains of the 9-5 and continue to struggle to get Tariques-Voice out there and working for our kids or do I say “I AM ALL IN AND I AM IN THIS TO WIN IT”.   Life is so short and so precious, why should we live in fear? Should we not all be fundamentally able to go to school and be educated, experience the joys of just being a kid without being afraid?  

As a momma I don’t want to be that mom who stands over her kids casket or any kid for that matter and say “I wished I could have done more, I wished I saw the signs, I wished I heard your cry, I wished you could have felt that you could have come to me, I wished I could have shown you the power of love; goodness and genuine kindness and I wished you knew deep in your heart that you are not alone!

And so my journey will continue……Tariques-Voice will be the voice of our community if I spend every moment of my life to make that happen. The struggles he endured the pain and agony that was bestowed upon him as well as my entire family will not be in vain. It starts with ONE people…..One voice, one kind word, and one simple smile to save a life.  

When you go out and about in your regular day please remember this “A person’s name is the strongest most powerful sound in the universe of language.  When you say their name you are providing an affirmation of that person’s existence and that might be the only kind word they hear for that day” And guess what IT’S FREE AND SIMPLE TO PROVIDE.

With that I leave you my friend

Let’s do this “ONE BULLY AT A TIME” IT START’S WITH ONE WILL YOU BE THAT ONE?

Much Love xooxox
Momma Shamy