Upstander Kids Anti-Bullying Camp

In advance of all the planning and preening to be expected tomorrow, a reminder from those of us who were raised by a strong woman to be mindful of the anxieties we allow our children to see in us tomorrow. #BreaktheCycle #LoveYourselfFirst #ModeledBehavior #HappyValentinesDay!

Why not here too? https://edu.thinking-minds.net/schools-in-denmark-conduct-e

Why do we apologize for getting emotional? Featuring Joe Hernandez-Kolski @pochojoe

Roots of Empathy in action.

A Daily reminder for #BacktoWorkMonday as kids return to school online, adults return to adulting, and we return to the task of #EmpoweringKids during this pandemic thru #martialarts #AntiBullyingClub #boundarysetting #girlpower #empathy #mindfulness #kindness #taekwondo #hapkido #judo #meditation #EachOneTeachOne #UpstanderKids

Teach them well. #ThanksMom

Empathy can save the world.

Because Science is Really Cool!

Ruth Bader Ginsburg reflects on the most life-changing lessons she learned from her mom. Don’t be distracted by emotions like anger, envy, resentment - these just sap energy and waste time.

Happy 2021! Let’s resolve to be better, kinder humans to one another. https://apple.news/AXKGECxkMNH-NQuBbzRvG3Q

How are you celebrating New Year's Eve with your children? PBS KIDS has ideas on how to make December 31 one to remember from the comfort of home. https://www.pbs.org/pare/thrive/new-years-eve-family-style

It’s about building trust.

Gratitude is the gift that keeps on giving. In a year when so many have lost so much, our biggest challenge will be to feel gratitude for what we still have, and not dwelling on all that we’ve lost. Sending love to all who’ve lost. May joy and gratitude find its way back to your hearts. #HappyKwanzaa

‘Tis the Season for sharing!

"It's not about what you look like. It's about what's in your brain." That’s why she created GoldieBlox to empower girls to embrace their inner-engineer. A video from Jess Blank.

Yes please! Empathy for the win! What would it take to include empathy as a required part of the curriculum in our schools? https://edu.thinking-minds.net/schools-in-denmark-conduct-e

Some thoughts as we enter the holiday season. It is important to remember that not everyone is looking forward to Christmas. Some people are not surrounded by large wonderful families. Some of us have problems during the holidays and are overcome with great sadness when we remember the loved ones who are not with us. For many it is their first Christmas without a particular loved one and many others lost loved ones at Christmas. And, many people have no one to spend these tim...es with and are besieged by loneliness. We all need caring, loving thoughts right now. May I ask my friends wherever you might be, to kindly post this status for one hour to give a moment of support to all those who have family problems, health struggles, job issues, worries of any kind and just need to know that someone cares; that we see them. No pressure. However you celebrate, Merry Everything and Happy Always! You are loved! Thank you for sharing.

Connection gives everyone a sense that they belong. It’s precious. Don’t take it for granted.

https://news3lv.com//junior-high-school-launches-anti-bull

A gentle reminder...

Years ago, an asthmatic young student learned that breath work was an integral part of meditation in his martial arts classes. When his training progressed and the cardiovascular challenges mounted, he learned that such breathing could help him to bring relief during the onset of asthma attacks during class. Later, he started to apply them outside of that environment, and was able to get a better handle on his condition, and would return to them when he didn’t have his inhaler handy. To this day, Master Alonzo still relies on them in a pinch. This is how breathing exercises came to have a special place in our students’ learning process, and they’ve become so crucial in these most uncertain of times. https://neurosciencenews.com/memory-fear-breathing-5699/

Love how this store promotes the idea that kindness can be its own reward! https://www.fox6now.com//texas-high-school-opens-grocery-s

The holidays are already a big enough challenge without a global pandemic, sheltering kids at home, and differing points of view about the necessities of safety protocols. We don’t know who needs to read this right now, but we’re thinking of you, and hoping that joy finds its way to your home this holiday season. When you need to calm yourself (holidays or otherwise, we recommend 3 long, slow, deeeeeep breaths. Repeat as necessary.

Why wait? Start with your own little slice of the world and make it good and beautiful and kind, and then spread that stuff around like you're in an epic snowball fight with passers by. #WhyWait #SpreadtheLove #Kindness

#TBT: This was our first podcast interview for the work we do to empower kids thru our Anti-Bullying Camp. We were thrilled to share stories and provide some tips for kids, but mostly, we were honored that it was with Reporting Live Podcast. Who better to ask in-depth questions about this subject than an 11-year old on the front lines of bullying on campus? This youngster has a bright future ahead of her. Take a listen and follow her podcast. Thanks for sharing!

Cultivate empathy in your children. We truly believe it is what will save the world. #Empathy #SEL https://www.psy-ed.com/wpblog/child-develop-empathy/

"A few years ago I found this in my son William's backpack, he is two minutes older but acts like he is her big brother! I locked myself in the bathroom and ba...wled my eyes out. He has since taken it upon himself and seeks out kids that are alone at school. He befriends them and doesn't let anyone bully another student. I thought you might like to see the letter that made me realize he was a hero." - Amy Webber See more

Glass ceilings are for shattering...

Tongva Park was named in honor of the Gabrieleño Tongva tribe, which lived in the Santa Monica area for millennia before Spanish colonization. #NeverForget #Gratitude

We’re truly grateful to our families and fans who’ve supported us through these uncertain times. Please stay safe, and from our table to yours, wishing everyone a Wonderful Thanksgiving!

Stop teaching girls that when a boy is mean to her, it means he likes her. Stop teaching boys that being a man means asserting power. https://twitter.com/un_women/status/1331652660198576129?s=21

How many children have to be left behind before we declare war on this? Powerful video featuring Dylan Garity from Button Poetry.

Friday the 13th ain’t got nothin’ on World Kindness Day! Celebrate with a kind gesture or two today! #WorldKindnessDay

A great lesson in empathy. Sometimes kids don’t know what it means until they experience it for themselves.

Veterans, please enjoy your day, because the #Honor of your sacrifice is #WorthRemembering every day. Everyday should be #VeteransDay #grateful

Happy Halloween!

https://www.psychologytoday.com//does-your-teen-have-tools

Everyone wins with empathy: EVERYONE! So each one, teach one. #empathy How do YOU celebrate #NationalBullyingPreventionMonth? https://www.facebook.com/desynfacts/videos/320348652061750/

We stand with Indigenous People!

A gentle reminder on this International Day of the Girl to not base our compliments to girls & women exclusively on their appearance, but more so on their efforts in the face of adversity, how they us feel, or the positive things that they’ve done. #InternationalDayoftheGirl

The opportunity to be cyber bullied grows with every hour we spend online... And with distance learning and working from home, we’re spending a lot more time online than ever before. If a cyber bully or troll decides to target you or your child, here’s a few useful tips.

Yes please. https://coralspringstalk.com/bullying-prevention-month-28591

https://apple.news/AC-8BYLKdTu-HCtsg9QL6OA

We’ll always be with you.

With kids online more than ever, these couldn’t be more timely. https://www.huffpost.com//warning-signs-child-victim-cyber

As a middle school teacher, one of the hardest situations is walking in on a couple kids fighting. The easiest way to approach it is to say, "It doesn't matter ...who started it; both kids were involved and broke the rules, so both should get in trouble." But that is how bullying continues. By not digging in to the situation, by only focusing my frustration on one snapshot of the interaction, I'm acting as if both students' actions are the same. That is rarely the case. When I slow down and investigate the situation, I often find one student is the aggressor, and one was trying to stand up for themselves or someone else. When you remember that one candidate is a stutterer who was making his voice heard while being interrupted and bullied, this is a remarkable example of composure and grace. He was interrupted when talking about the death of his veteran son. When his other son was mocked for his past drug habit, the candidate spoke of how proud he was of his son for working hard to overcome it. We need to take the time to look deeper into what happened on that stage. We can't just dismiss it as both men behaving equally.

Did you know that 1 in 5 kids experiences bullying, but 5 out of 5 kids can prevent it? October is National Bullying Prevention Month, so continuing the efforts of our @anti.bullying.camp, but for younger kids, we have classes for preK & Kindergarten aged kids to help make them more bully-resistant. Can you imagine how planting seeds of empowerment against different forms of social oppression for a child as young as 3.5 years old can give them the tools to negotiate school life more easily? Try a WeeKick Class and see for yourself why we’ve had students and parents share their stories of empowered resistance with us over the past 24 years. #AntiBullyingLifeSkills #Mindfulness #Empathy #Kindness #BoundarySetting #AlonzoMartialArts

Life is simple and beautiful when we practice the basics President's Choice did a great job on this one... it’s a message well worth sharing

I'd go back to Kindergarten JUST for her to be my teacher.

Today is #WorldSuicidePreventionDay. #Suicide is a global public health issue. All ages, sexes, and regions of the Earth are affected. ... Lives are lost, while suicides are preventable. http://bit.ly/2TzhU0A

Learning the joy of flight as a study break? Yes please! #BacktoSchool

For everyone returning to school this fall. #SocialEmotionalLearning

Happy World Elephant Day!

Don't let a single day go by without telling your kids how you feel...

A brilliant idea in these dangerous times. Just to prove a point to his asthmatic self, Master Alonzo slept in a mask for a night, and wasn’t any worse for wear because of it. #selfdiscipline

Empathy is what will save the world.

What if, indeed... #empathy #gratitude #perspectiveshift2020

Obviously, this video is pre-pandemic, but we’ve successfully made the transition to online distance learning. We’re taking bookings for online private lessons from 9am to 6pm Monday thru Saturday. And because they’re 1-on-1, the learning is accelerated. The first 20-minute introductory session is FREE, but they MUST be booked in advance! For kids who’ve not joined us for in-person lessons, the more personal 1-on-1 experience is ideal for students starting martial arts at the Beginner Level. Once they have a good handle on their self-control and the structure & standards of the lessons, they can be invited into the Group Zooms. #ageappropriate #martialarts #mindfulness #antibullying #lifeskills #fitness #fun #AlonzoMartialArts #UpstanderKids

Such a cool idea!

With so much screen time necessary now, this can help parents negotiate its dangers.

There's all kinds of ways to stand up for someone else. What a lesson! #UpstanderBehavior

Thank you for your role in advancing Civil Rights, Mr. Lewis. Let us all heed our moral obligation to say something when we see something that is not right, not just, not fair. #UpstanderAction #TheRightSideOfHistory

Remembering John Lewis. #RestInPower

Rest in Power, John Lewis. Thank you for your warrior ways. Take a listen. #CivilRightsMovement https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1284332175102365696

This one's for all the teachers out there. We hear you, and we thank you!

Couldn’t agree more.

Upstander Kid Alert! LOVE this girl!

This is Upstander Kids behavior. #Empathy #Inclusion https://www.facebook.com/witlifepage/videos/286269328500900/?vh=e&d=n