It may be Sunday, but local children are still learning , this time, about kindness, inclusion and how to recognize bullying in their everyday lives.
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Teaching kindness: Local children learn how to stand up to bullying
The DJ Demp Foundation hosted its fourth annual Sweets & Kindness Social on Sunday, bringing children and families together for activities focused on bullying prevention.
The goal was to give children tools to recognize bullying, understand how their actions can affect others and know what to do when they see someone being mistreated.
I hope they take away that you can be kind all the time and know how to be kind and be able to mix and mingle with other kids, DJ Demp said.
Community partners also participated in the event, using activities and educational resources to help children understand what bullying can look like and how they can speak up.
Takoda Gordey brought his family to the event and said he wanted his daughter to begin learning about bullying and the impact it can have on others.
We decided to come here just to help her start learning about the possible or the possibilities of bullying, how it could limit some people and how to just really go about life and be kind to others, so you can uplift them, Gordey said.
For John Howard, teaching children about bullying also means teaching them when to step in. He said his son learned that lesson when he was in fifth grade.
When he was in fifth grade, he always stopped people from bullying the third graders, Howard said.
Young girls with S.T.I.N.G. Operations shared a similar message, encouraging other children not to treat bullying as entertainment or something harmless.
Bullying is not cute, it’s not funny, it’s not a trend, it’s really nothing. You should not bully because it makes people sad and want to do stuff,” Destinee Groce said
The event also highlighted the importance of continuing conversations about bullying outside of school and community events.
Parents can talk with children about what bullying looks like, how to recognize when someone may need help and ways they can safely speak up or get an adult involved.
DJ Demp said his goal is to continue raising awareness about bullying and encouraging children to choose kindness and inclusion in their everyday interactions.
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