Tuesday, December 19, 2006
What?
No White Christmas!
Outrageous. How can it be possible in northern Minnesota but if we don't get some snow falling in the next 6 days we are going to be looking at a Semi-White Christmas.
We have been experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures this fall. Usually by this time of year we have a good solid base of snow that will not melt until late March or early April. However, the skiff of fluff we do have is not stable. One day we are below freezing and two days later we are hovering in the mid-40s. Several days back we had sub-zero temperatures (-17F) only to have the thermometer do an about face and climb to 49F above. We lost all of our snow.
|
Outrageous. How can it be possible in northern Minnesota but if we don't get some snow falling in the next 6 days we are going to be looking at a Semi-White Christmas.
We have been experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures this fall. Usually by this time of year we have a good solid base of snow that will not melt until late March or early April. However, the skiff of fluff we do have is not stable. One day we are below freezing and two days later we are hovering in the mid-40s. Several days back we had sub-zero temperatures (-17F) only to have the thermometer do an about face and climb to 49F above. We lost all of our snow.
|
Saturday, December 16, 2006
It has been a long time since my last post and I'm not sure of what to say.
I am a little rusty so my theory is to get a post out there and prime the creative pump.
My kids have been bringing home a lot of information on bullying. The schools seem to be really cracking down on what a bully does and how to respond to a situation in which you are being bullied.
What I find so interesting is not how a bully is defined;
This person can be either male or female. (Yeah, finally there is recognition that girls can bully too).
They tend to have a strong need to dominate others through threats and power.
They will intimidate others
They cheat
They are hot-tempered and easily angered. Additionally, they are impulsive and have a low-frustration level.
and most telling...
They don't conform to the rules.
They will use obvious intimidating actions like hitting and kicking. But less recognized forms of bullying include name-calling, spreading rumors, and destroying someone's reputation.
We all know people who fit these characteristics. If asked to list 5 character traits of a bully I'm sure we could all come up with a similar list. However, what I find interesting is the next level of bullying that nobody has really thought of until now. This was actually a part of the literature that my 5th grader brought home; the by-stander bully.
This is someone who stands by and watches bullying happening and does nothing to stop it. When we watch bullying and do nothing we are actually condoning the bully's behavior.
The damaging results to the victim's self-esteem of the by-stander are far more devestating. The victim of malicious treatment that goes unchallenged gets these three messages;
That the bully has a right to hurt you.
That you are not worth protecting.
And...
That it's okay to watch other people getting hurt.
I had never really thought of a bystander as being guilty of hurting other people but this message does make sense.
|
I am a little rusty so my theory is to get a post out there and prime the creative pump.
My kids have been bringing home a lot of information on bullying. The schools seem to be really cracking down on what a bully does and how to respond to a situation in which you are being bullied.
What I find so interesting is not how a bully is defined;
This person can be either male or female. (Yeah, finally there is recognition that girls can bully too).
They tend to have a strong need to dominate others through threats and power.
They will intimidate others
They cheat
They are hot-tempered and easily angered. Additionally, they are impulsive and have a low-frustration level.
and most telling...
They don't conform to the rules.
They will use obvious intimidating actions like hitting and kicking. But less recognized forms of bullying include name-calling, spreading rumors, and destroying someone's reputation.
We all know people who fit these characteristics. If asked to list 5 character traits of a bully I'm sure we could all come up with a similar list. However, what I find interesting is the next level of bullying that nobody has really thought of until now. This was actually a part of the literature that my 5th grader brought home; the by-stander bully.
This is someone who stands by and watches bullying happening and does nothing to stop it. When we watch bullying and do nothing we are actually condoning the bully's behavior.
The damaging results to the victim's self-esteem of the by-stander are far more devestating. The victim of malicious treatment that goes unchallenged gets these three messages;
That the bully has a right to hurt you.
That you are not worth protecting.
And...
That it's okay to watch other people getting hurt.
I had never really thought of a bystander as being guilty of hurting other people but this message does make sense.
|
