that more than six hours, per week day, are spent on the school grounds. Add in the time utilized for getting ready to attend and for getting back home, and we are at eight hours. Then, , and we find that at least nine hours, per week day, are spent in devotion to schooling.

After subtracting time necessary to eat; tend to hygiene; and complete household chores; the typical student is left with only a precious few hours of waking time to possibly engage in recreation or socialization. For students who are involved in extracurricular activities after school or on the weekends, perform yet another subtraction of utilizable leisure time.

In sum, our young students are often engaged in a demand of workload which is similar to the adult requirement of working a full-time job. This pattern of behavior may be fine for one who has already established an adulthood as a productive member of society, but the adolescent has another yet another duty to attend to. He or she is tasked with simultaneously .

As ideas of self-conception are typically set in place before reaching young adulthood, the following ideas are best explored 鈥� and integrated 鈥� by parents of the gifted child. On our quest to provide our child with the best start in life, it is paramount that we endow them with sound instruction in the business of living. As many , life is more than school.

A Student Is Not His/Her Grade

The concept of letter grades has done much to label our students over the years. It is the major marker for defining failure or success, and it is the first information that students report when asked about how school is going. Students with high grades are awarded with certificates, ceremonies, and even by well-meaning family members.

For a gifted student, earning top marks in a class tends to come fairly easily. It is inevitable, however, that something will occur which threatens to topple that tower of A鈥檚. It could be that an unexpected event takes place, keeping the gifted student from completing an assignment on time. It could be that a student encounters a professor with a chip on the shoulder, and who happens to be in charge of grading a subjective work. It could just be that the gifted student finally runs into a topic which doesn鈥檛 make as much sense in his or her mind.

A student who is so accustomed to being associated with high marks can feel immense pressure to do whatever it takes to continue to receive them. The letter grade can become a part of his or her identity, as much as does being described as tall, creative, or kind. Receiving an 鈥淎鈥� becomes equivalent to the very concept of being smart, and receiving anything less can throw the gifted student into an .

To combat this trend, some parents will opt for putting their students into programs which , all together. While this tactic can provide a good basis for ensuring that your gifted child understands that letter grades are imperfect measures 鈥� and as delivered by imperfect people 鈥� it is unlikely that a student can avoid this system, indefinitely.

have not evolved toward doing away with the letter system, either for admittance or continuance. Work place politics, as well, are prone to include a performance report in which the highest marks are . In preparing your gifted child for facing the harsh reality of not being assigned top scores, indefinitely, ensure that they learn, early on, that such marks are not always an accurate measure of contribution or ability.

Quantity Does Not Equal Quality

There has been a recent media focus on the concept of . This concept has roots in the Eastern practice of parents to involve their children in multiple academic and cultural endeavors, sometimes beginning in infancy. The expectation is that demanding so much from students will train them to become successful, high-achieving, adults.

Through a mix of positive and negative feedback 鈥� much like how our grading system operates 鈥� students are pushed to their limits of ability. The student鈥檚 own passions and interests are considered irrelevant, as the agenda of the surrounding culture is deemed paramount.

Parenting in the Western culture can . We feel pressured to involve our gifted students in simultaneous areas of sports, arts, academics, and school politics. Parents will gather and discuss how busy they are, running their children to various events and meetings, as though it is a mark of successful parenting to push our children into exploring all that life has to offer before the age of 10.

In both cases of parental push, the long-term feedback in regard to student adjustment does not look hopeful. Family time, self-care, and finances all take a hit when our focus is on exposing our children to this smorgasbord of experience. And, try as we might to impose it, subjective well-being does not arise from these types of excessive endeavors.

that the students of 鈥渢iger鈥� parents suffer from more depression, anger, and anxiety than the average population. They also struggle with developing social skills, and have difficulty with properly channeling their emotions.

For parents who have been keeping up with the data on difficulties which exist for gifted children, in general, this list of mental health problems should sound familiar. Gifted children to suffer from challenges related to these areas. Adding the additional stress which arises from over-committing them can be a recipe for disaster.

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These tendencies toward an odd sleep pattern may be due to the level of cognitive processing that the gifted person is operating with, but that concept doesn’t alleviate the fact that our Western society is designed to operate on a standard, 9-5, schedule. While pursuing the type of lifestyle that will eventually allow your gifted child to thrive under the volition of his or her own internal clock, it is most likely that your gifted child will have to learn to play by these societal rules for sleep and wake.

A sound approach in determining the best way to assist your gifted child toward a productive sleep schedule is to which prevent your child’s mind from agreeing to shut-down on demand. For some, the difficulty may lie in the mind having been overstimulated at a point too near bedtime. For others, it may be the quiet solitude of the nighttime which allows their minds to roam most free, resulting in the grand ideas that our distracted daytime minds are impeded from forming. For yet others, it may simply be the case that they do not need the amount of sleep that is being imposed.

Depending on your child’s level of insight, he or she may be able to describe exactly what it is that occurs each night. For younger gifted children, some parental detective work may be in order. Here are some questions to consider:

Does Your Child Suffer From Effects of Sleep Deprivation?

that failing to obtain enough consistent sleep to meet the needs of an individual comes with highly observable consequences. Both short-term and longer-term sleep deprivation 鈥� as a result of obtaining no sleep, at all 鈥� have the expected results of negatively impacting motor skills, mood, and mental processing abilities.

Partial-sleep deprivation, however, addresses what is most commonly observed by parents of gifted children. In this study, such a deprivation was defined by the individual obtaining five hours, or less, of sleep during a 24-hour period. While motor skills were negatively impacted by all three forms of sleep deprivation, it is partial-sleep which produced the most decline in cognitive and emotional abilities. Participants in this group were found to lie below the norm in these areas.

In addition to declines in functioning, if you notice that your child shows of sleep deprivation 鈥� such as more frequent illnesses; excessive clumsiness; unexplained weight changes; or persistent yawning 鈥� it is time to intervene. Otherwise, it may just be that your gifted child is one who does not need the typical amount of rest.

Why Do聽Exceptionally Gifted Children Have Trouble Sleeping at Night?

Once the possibility that your gifted child is, in fact, getting enough sleep to meet her or his needs is ruled out, more detailed analysis of the problem can be implemented. After ensuring basic amenities to provide your child with adequate environment to induce sleep 鈥� such as a quiet bedroom, comfortable bed, and a full stomach 鈥� an examination of your child鈥檚 personality can be useful in determining your next steps.

If you haven鈥檛 yet uncovered such, finding out whether your child is more prone to introversion, or extroversion, is a valuable component in the child-rearing toolbox. Contrary to the popular interpretation of the concept, there is more to these personality types than simply being outgoing or quiet. In , an extrovert is one who gains energy from social interactions, while an introvert gains energy from being alone.

What this can mean for your child is that the ability to fall asleep may be regulated by the personality bend. For an extroverted child, being alone in the bed for a period of time may be what decreases the emotional and mental energy levels enough to achieve sleep. For the introverted child, being alone in a quiet room can have exactly the opposite effect. An introverted child鈥檚 mind will take flight under these conditions, resulting in insomnia.

For the investigating parent, robust measures of these personality tendencies can be determined through having a child take an . Additionally, a free 鈥� yet useful in the interim 鈥� source of determining your child鈥檚 tendencies toward introversion or extroversion is available at .

Putting Data Into Action

You are armed with the information about whether your gifted child is getting enough sleep to maintain proper physical, emotional, and cognitive functioning. You are armed with the information about how your particular child is stimulated or relaxed. Now is the time for implementing strategy.

In the best-case scenario, your child is just fine with the amount of sleep that is being obtained. In this situation, it is we 鈥� the parents 鈥� who need to adjust our expectations.聽 We are best to not force such children to toward wakefulness. If our child is, indeed, getting adequate sleep, then functioning along with a daily routine should not be an insurmountable difficulty.

For those who do notice negative symptoms of lack of sound sleep in their children, utilizing strategies in-line with the child鈥檚 personality bend may help. While unconventional, allowing an introverted child to engage in social activities prior to falling asleep may produce the desired outcome of eventual rest. These types of children , and are prone to become more sleepy during engagement in nighttime texting or phone calls. In contrast, an extroverted child will need time to wind down after interactions, indicating that an evening schedule devoid of socializing may be the most effective approach. In both cases, the opportunity to take naps may be a solution.

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Gifted children can also use online resources and apps to further their interests and communicate with experts in their field for guidance. They are able to test their mettle against adults as well as other gifted children. Those whose gifts are technologically oriented have the opportunity to sharpen their skills from an extremely early age. In this sense, it has never been a better time to be an exceptional student:聽 The collected knowledge and of all humanity is instantly available in the palm of one鈥檚 hand. Not only can gifted children access all they want to know about their niche interests, they are able to make friends far more easily than otherwise.

Gifted and Bullied

In a phenomenon known as , gifted children develop social and emotional skills at a different rate than their average or even bright peers. At the same time, exceptional children tend to be highly sensitive. The fact that many gifted children are unusually perceptive in matters of fairness and innocence can compound this issue. All of this makes gifted children especially susceptible to bullies.

Bullying is a noted scourge of gifted children and their families. For all their intelligence, exceptional children , and they may be lost in their own worlds, over-correct their peers, or push their knowledge and interest on others in a seemingly arrogant manner.

Unfortunately, the gift of the Internet is sometimes abused by those seeking power, self-assurance, or even entertainment. This especially impacts gifted children who are still forming appropriate cultural boundaries, and a healthy sense of self-protection. Due to their intelligence, advanced vocabulary and tenacity, gifted children might be especially prone to mixing with those who do not have their best interests in mind. Some who feel lonely due to a lack of connection to peers who are friends might make them especially eager to let strangers into their lives.

Nowhere is this more apparent than on social media. Two recent studies suggest that the worst offenders for student cyberbullying is one of the most popular apps: .

Cyberbullying on Instagram

One of the most common elements of social media is striking visual imagery. Although all elements of social media employ an aspect of this to some extent, Instagram is by far the most visually oriented. Although a Facebook or Twitter post can be made without a photo, an Instagram entry cannot. Even if the image is simply a blank square, some sort of visual element must be uploaded before the app will post. While words can become part of the post, they exist as a small caption beneath a large photo, and clickable links are not permitted.

What鈥檚 more, Instagram is not designed for desk computers or even laptops. It鈥檚 meant for tablets and smartphones. In fact, while an Instagram user can manage his or her account from a traditional computer, he or she is unable to post to it without a third party interface. This means that adding photos, comments, and tags to Instagram tends to take place on the go鈥攔iding in a car, walking one place to another, sitting at lunch. It is not designed for deeply thoughtful interaction. The result is an invitation to post bullying images, comments, and hashtags in comments or captions without much forethought. It鈥檚 an issue of great concern to education administrators in Western countries.

Insta-Bullying by the Numbers

An anti-bullying political action group in the United Kingdom called Ditch the Label conducted a聽 of ten thousand students between the ages of twelve and twenty. The survey revealed that while seventeen percent of those surveyed had actually experienced cyberbullying, a whopping sixty-nine percent reported that they had participated in abusive actions towards others. The students also confirmed a worldwide trend: They were leaving Facebook for Instagram, and taking their bullying behaviors with them. Those who reported being bullied online said the experience took place on Instagram.

Social Media Pressures

A confirmed the findings of Ditch the Label. Conducted at about the same time, the Status of Mind research project found that, among sixteen to twenty-four year olds, 91% used at least some form of social networking, and that some of their symptoms surrounding use of the apps strongly mimicked an addiction to alcohol or even nicotine. Some experts estimate that 5% of young people are, in fact, addicted to not just their devices, but social media in particular. It鈥檚 not surprising, then, that problems with depression, poor sleep, and anxiety have skyrocketed.

This study painted a more alarming picture of than Ditch the Label鈥檚 sampling. Its respondents reported that 70% of them had experienced abuse online. Perhaps not surprisingly, those who used social media reported a worse body image and greater anxiety than those who did not. When faced with an unending avalanche of images carefully crafted to showcase the account holder as favorably and as popular as possible, it鈥檚 easy to see why feelings of inadequacy often accompanied this anxiety.

Low self-esteem and unrealistic expectations also plagued those who heavily used social media. Some also reported an increase in perfectionism. Since these traits can also apply to the gifted, misuse of social media may exacerbate them.

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With the sudden change in emphasis from indoors to outdoors, we can easily overlook the dangers that are lurking under the sun. We need to change our mindset from indoor safety to outdoor safety.

Exposure to the sun comes with many possible problems. The glare of the sun and rising temperatures can ruin the fun of summer. The remedies take us back inside and no one wants that on a beautiful summer day.

Almost all health organizations and many communities and parent organizations offer advice and tips on how to keep children safe from brilliant sunlight and searing heat.

Here are a few of their suggestions for a safe summer.

Sun Safety

is considered the most-visited site on the Internet for information about health, behavior, and development from before birth through the teen years.On a typical weekday, the site gets as many as a million visits. The site delivers health advice for kids, teens, their parents, and educators. It is part of The Nemours Foundation’s Center for Children’s Health Media.

The organization recognizes that children get the vitamin D they need through a healthy diet (and supplements if needed). Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium that is good for the bones.聽 We also get vitamin D by being in the sun.

But while the sun helps kids get vitamin D, it also sends out strong ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause skin damage, eye damage, immune system suppression, and skin cancer like melanoma.

Apply Sunscreen

Every child needs , especially those with light skin color. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends that all children wear聽sunscreen聽with an SPF of 30 or higher. The sunscreen should be broad-spectrum (protects against both UVA and UVB rays). If children are near water, the sunscreen should be labeled water-resistant.

Seek Shade During the Day

The hottest part of the day in the northern hemisphere is usually 10 am to 4 pm. Children should try to stay in the shade for that part of the day. Even if the day is cloudy or cool, UV rays still reach the earth and can cause skin or eye damage.

Sun umbrellas or trees or the shade of buildings can help by becoming an oasis in the desert-like brilliance of the sun.

Cover Up Exposed Skin

Babies have thinner skin and underdeveloped melanin 鈥� the body chemical that absorbs UV rays. Their skin burns more easily. Babies under six months of age should actually be kept out of bright sun if possible. If the baby has to be in the sun, you can apply an SPF 15 sunscreen.

Children of all ages should wear enough to cover the exposed parts of their bodies. Lighter, long-sleeved shirts and long pants may be needed for short times during the hotter times of the day. Baseball caps or wide-brimmed hats offer shade for the face.

Wear Sunglasses

Kids love to wear sunglasses with cartoon characters, superheroes, or multiple colors or designs that are just plain fun. Encourage them to pick out a pair. Sun exposure can damage the eye as well as the skin.

can cause burning of the outer area of the eye (cornea) or the precondition for later cataracts (clouding of the eye lens) that leads to blurred vision later on. Sunglasses also help children to see more clearly, reducing the sun鈥檚 glare and making it safer to get around.

Check Medicines

Some medicines (like acne medicines and antibiotics) react more to UV rays than others, making the skin more sensitive. Over-the-counter medicines and those prescribed by doctors should carry the label warning of sun exposure. Ask your child鈥檚 doctor what other precautions you should take if he or she is taking these medications.

Treating Sunburn

Sunburn can cause a great deal of pain after prolonged sun exposure. Children will feel a sense of heat and because their skin is dry, some will get chills, too. Applying cool, wet compresses to the area will help cool the skin and reduce the pain.

A cool bath will help, too, as will the application of aloe vera, a soothing gel that is available in most pharmacies. You can add an anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen but consult with your child鈥檚 doctor on the safety of any medicine and ask for advice on what can reduce swelling and pain for your child.

If skin starts to peel, make sure your child does not scratch the area because infection can occur beneath the outer layer. If blisters occur, do not try to pop them because infection can occur here, too, as well as scarring. Call your doctor for advice.

You can apply a moisturizing cream to help with rehydrating the skin or hydrocortisone cream to help with pain. Don鈥檛 use petroleum-based products because they inhibit heat from escaping.

Be mindful of where you are and how the sun鈥檚 rays may be stronger.聽 They reflect off water, sand, and snow. They are stronger near the equator and at higher elevations where the air is thinner. Being aware of the danger is the first step in avoiding it.

Heat Safety

鈥嬧�婽he sun鈥檚 UV rays can cause enough harm to the skin and eyes. But extreme heat can cause children to become sick in many different ways. Children need protection from the heat as well as the glare of the sun.

Extreme heat can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or . These are serious enough to consult with a doctor. Home remedies like keeping kids inside on hot days may help with one problem but may also cause another. Kids get anxious when they have to stay inside for prolonged periods.

In its advice to parents website, cites The 聽guidelines on how to protect kids from the dangers of summer heat.

Limiting sun exposure is important. Finding an air-conditioned space can provide relief from the heat. If you don鈥檛 have AC at home, plan to take your children to a library or other location that does have it. Find other ways to cool down like heading for a swimming pool or lake.

Children should stay by drinking water regularly. They should in light-colored clothing. They should be given rest from time to time because they will feel tired.

Another big area of concern is . Never leave children unattended in a closed motor vehicle on a hot day. The temperature inside the car can quickly escalate to a much higher degree than outside, rising almost 20 degrees in 10 minutes. Child death from hot cars happens far too often.

Call your pediatrician if your child experiences symptoms like these:

• Feeling faint or tired.
• Having headache or fever.
• Having nausea or vomiting.
• Having muscle aches or spasms.
• Breathing much faster than normal.
• Feeling tingling or numbness.

Knowing how to protect your children from the sun,you and they can still enjoy summer the way it鈥檚 supposed to be. You can still have that 鈥渇un in the sun.鈥� Just do it in moderation.

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How do you as a parent deal with an anxious child during times of added excitement, especially when you know excitement is not good for him or her?

Here are a few tips for helping children cope with holiday anxiety.

Spotting the Warning聽Signs of Stress

There are some visible clues that your child is under stress, and you are probably very aware of them. They include crying or irritability, nervous habits like nail biting or hair twirling, bedwetting and hyperactivity.

Your child might have an increase in or headaches. There might be a lack of interest playing with friends or joining in holiday activities. If you sense there is a change in behaviors or feelings, it鈥檚 time to have a talk with him or her about what the holidays might involve.

Keeping Lines of Parent-Child Communication Open

Open a with your child about their feelings聽toward聽the holidays, what might be causing him or her to worry, what types of situations fuel fear or uncomfortableness, and what might your child be looking forward to?

Discuss upcoming events and how to handle them, as a of what鈥檚 to come. Give聽your child as much notice as possible. Maybe you can use a calendar or chart to show聽your child聽when the holidays are and when any celebrations or parties will occur.

Tell聽your child you think he or she can handle聽any type of聽situation, keep reassuring that you will help with getting through聽the difficult times, and try building up levels of confidence ahead of time.

Sticking to Consistent Routines

Try to keep up family routines as much as possible. Holiday parties and events can interfere with family routines that your child is comfortable with. Keep the same time for meals, homework and bedtime.

Allow time to leave parties early enough so your child can unwind and get a good night’s sleep. Plan your own celebrations in the same way. Have some times at home. Keep TV to a minimum on some nights. Listen to music or watch a non-stressful movie.

Tracking Nutrition & Food Intake

If your child has special dietary needs, try to monitor that they are met, even when holiday treats present special distractions. There are a lot of situations where party snacks are readily available, and these might pose a threat to your child鈥檚 health.

You probably should provide a nutritious meal before your child heads off to a party. Reducing hunger can help avoid irritability and poor choices.

Sugar highs can lead to hyperactivity followed by meltdowns and depression. Try to reduce the sugar content your child consumes. The same is true for caffeine that exists in colas and other sodas as well as chocolate.

Limiting Exposure to Holiday Chaos

There might be several parties in your neighborhood or family, and you don鈥檛 have to attend all of them, especially if any are particularly stressful for your child. It鈥檚 OK if your child does not participate in all celebrations.

There can be invitations for caroling parties, tobogganing parties, work functions, family outings, plays or concerts, church events, and more. Don鈥檛 be afraid to say 鈥渘o鈥� to some of them.

Shopping can be , too. Try not to go on all-day trips to the mall.聽 Have a list to save some time. Make sure your children are well-rested before going. Use the Internet if you feel comfortable doing that. Your child can use the Internet to look for gifts or to make lists.

Plan some down time in between holiday parties and trips so that your child’s energy levels are well-maintained. Also,聽establish at-home family night(s) and incorporate聽 and activities.

Be aware that your shy or introverted child may not like being hugged and kissed by all the relatives and family friends who come to visit. Your child might not like all those questions that curious relatives are sure to ask. You can act as amediator and deflect some of the interrogation.

You can discuss with your child on how to be polite without having to hug or converse with all the people that stop by or come to your celebration.

If you just use common sense, be aware of situations and conditions that might upset your child, and take some reasonable steps to limit any potential discomfort or stress, you will be giving your child the best holiday season ever.

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So, what do you do if you find your child is expressing some of the behaviors that you find different or strange, and you wonder what has changed in his or her life? Is she suddenly moody, or acting withdrawn? Does she no longer want to go to school? Does she say she doesn鈥檛 want to go a certain class? Are her grades suddenly down? Is she being bullied?

Have a talk with your child

The first thing to do is sit down with your child and have a . Try to find out as much as you can 鈥� without adding more anxiety. Explain that whatever is happening is not your child鈥檚 fault. It is important for you to bolster your child鈥檚 self-confidence at a time where it is probably very fragile.

Showing your support will strengthen the parent-child bond and turn a negative into a positive. Having someone on their side, someone to talk to, can help reduce their anxiety and feelings of helplessness that may stem from being bullied.

Help your child take positive steps

Discuss with your child some things she can do to address the situation of bullying. Tell her to not respond to any bullying actions. Show the bully that these actions are not having an effect on her.

Tell your child to be careful with calls, emails and texts. Ask her to answer only those communications from people and numbers she knows.

Ask her to save call numbers, emails and texts without responding. These can be evidence for reporting the bullying to school officials or law agencies.

Ask your child to remove personal contact information on social websites and change any .

Ask your child how she feels about you contacting the bully鈥檚 parents. Some children are OK with this; other children feel it may make the situation worse for them.

Suggest that your child get away from electronic media for a while. Stay off social sites and away from the computer at home. Hang out with friends outside of school. Get involved in other activities like sports or exercise, yoga classes, meditation, reading, or some performance interest like music or dancing. Any of these will reduce .

There is more to life than a laptop and a cell phone.

Take some actions yourself

After you have had some discussion with your child, what steps should you consider as a parent to take action and protect your child from further abuse?

The first thing to do is to contact school officials 鈥� teachers, administrators, school psychologists or social workers, school nurses, guidance counselors or anyone else you think should know about the situation and anyone you think can help put a stop to the bullying.

You also want school officials to be aware of how the bullying is affecting your child so they understand why grades may be down, or why your child has suddenly lost interest or focus on school subjects.

Contact the parents of the bully and have a frank discussion. They may be totally unaware of the situation, and getting their support can be crucial to stopping their child from continuing the negative behavior of bullying.

Once you have made the bully鈥檚 parents aware of the situation, they can no longer plead ignorance and can be held accountable to some extent for their child鈥檚 continuing actions.

If the bullying includes physical violence or inappropriate sexual messages or actions, you should report this to local police. There are laws governing harassment and bullying, and can lead to criminal prosecution.

Mentioning this to the bully鈥檚 parents may at the very least get their attention.

Become a resource for anti-bullying

Once you are aware of the environment where harassment or bullying is occurring without awareness or penalty from responsible adults, you can become involved as a reporter and advocate of social equality.

Attend any appropriate school meetings on the subject. Find out what anti-bullying they may have. Do some research on your own. Learn how these activities can affect children for years, even for a lifetime.

Another thing you can do is talk to other parents about the conditions that allow bullying. Are they seeing the same thing? Are they aware or are they in the dark? Ask for their opinions and suggestions. Tell them what you are considering.

There can be strength in numbers. If all parents are aware of the issues affecting their children鈥檚 health and safety 鈥� not to mention school performance 鈥� then bullying will have less of a chance to 鈥渂e hidden.鈥� No parent will feel embarrassed to bring it up or share feelings or take action.

It is every parent鈥檚 responsibility to be on the lookout for any , and to take care of the child鈥檚 needs first, followed by a responsible call to action to prevent it from happening again 鈥� to any child.

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comes in many forms, including cell phones, tablets, and computers. It appears in emails and text messages, on websites and especially social sites, and in online chat features.

Cyberbullying can involve mean text messages or emails, embarrassing photos or videos, fake profiles and more.

It can be devastating to those children being targeted and can have lasting effects on their fear of physical harm as well as self-image and confidence. It can lead to a life of depression and worse.

Why We Should Care About Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can occur anytime, night or day, when a child is alone. Messages can be posted anonymously. Distribution is immediate and extensive. It can be very difficult if not impossible to trace the source. Deleting the offensive messages can be difficult as well.

The to the National Crime Victimization Survey reported that nationwide, about 21 percent of students ages 12-18 experienced bullying.

The (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimated that 16聽percent of high school students were bullied electronically in the year prior to the survey.

There have been a lot more studies on this important topic, some of them referenced by . As reported there, nearly 43 percent of children have been bullied online. One in four said it happened twice.

• 70 percent of students say they saw frequent bullying online.
• Cell phones are a common source of cyberbullying with over 80 percent of teens using them.
• 68 percent of teenagers agree that cyberbullying is a serious problem. However, only one in ten victims actually report an abuse to a parent or trusted adult.
• Here is a very sobering statistic: victims of cyberbullying are聽two to nine times more likely to consider suicide.

Signs of Cyberbullying

There are several possible signs that your :

• Your child becomes anxious when he or she receives an email, text or IM.
• She becomes distressed or angry after a call or after being on the Internet.
• She withdraws from family and friends and doesn鈥檛 want to participate in family activities.
• She doesn鈥檛 want to go to school or to a certain class or is avoiding some school activity.
• Her grades have suddenly dropped without an apparent explanation.
• She is becoming more secretive about her communications or activities.
• Her mood has changed, she has lost her appetite, or she has trouble sleeping.

If you see any of these behaviors, it is a good idea to sit down and have a talk with your child.

How Parents Can Stop Cyberbullying Before It Starts

The best way to minimize the effects of being bullied and reduce the chances of being bullied in the first place is to your children some basic guidelines with regard to bullying.

Teaching About Cyberbullying

• Tell your children to never post personal information on the Internet, including name, address, phone number, school, parent鈥檚 names, credit card information or Social Security card information.
• Advise your children to never share their passwords with anyone but you.
• Let other students know they are against bullying and encourage their friends to stop.
• Tell them to never participate in bullying situations; never pass along messages or photos.
• Tell them to delete any messages they do get and block the sender.
• Advise them to be as polite and courteous online as they are in person.

Behavior Monitoring

• There are also some things you can do, besides talking with your child, to be in a better position to watch for possible problems and keep them from happening,
• Where does your child use a computer? If you can place it in a central, busier place, it would be better than your child having a laptop or tablet in his or her bedroom.
• If there is a laptop in use, limit bedtime access.
• Ask your child to share her passwords and know what social sites she uses.
• Find out how to use tracking software or other filters that can block inappropriate Internet content.

• Know the people your child communicates with by seeing her address book and any messaging 鈥渂uddies.鈥�
• Ask your child to let you or some other trusted adult know when a cyber bully is at work and your child receives a threat. Tell her you are not judging her, and she will not lose computer or tablet privileges.

Tips for Parents on Responding to Cyberbullying Incidents

If your child is being bullied, and hopefully she tells you about it, there is some advice you can give and some things you can monitor to protect her.

• First of all, tell your child to not respond to any bullying activities. This would just make matters worse and draw your child into a web of deceit.
• Have your child answer only callers and numbers she knows.
• If online, sign off. Get offline as fast as possible. If using Messenger, use the application鈥檚 blocking feature.
• Have your child save all emails. You can forward them to your Internet provider and report the emails as bullying. Also, save of websites.
• Help your child adjust on social sites.
• Have your child change contact information, remove any personal information, and change passwords.
• If the bully is a known classmate, discuss with your child whether she wants you to contact the bully鈥檚 parents or whether your child wants to handle it directly. Either way, you should follow up.
• Report any bullying incident to school officials if appropriate.
• Report any threats of physical violence or inappropriate sexual messages to the police for possible and criminal action.

Encourage your child to take a break from the Internet and from social sites. Spend more time with friends that are supportive and share her values. Do the things outside school that she likes to do. Encourage exercise, walking, sports, meditation, and other activities that .

Work with and learn what programs they offer to combat bullying.

By being involved in a supportive, loving way, you can do a lot to protect your child from cyber bullying. Through observation, discussion, overall awareness of the issue, and the monitoring you do, you can help your child as an interested and devoted parent.

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160,000 children skip school every day because they fear being bullied. Children who are especially challenged are particularly targeted by bullies. The Autism Network has reported that 63 percent of autistic children have been bullied, three times more likely than children without this disorder. October is , a time to raise awareness on bullying and what we can do to end it. One of the first steps to end bullying is to learn how to identify it.

Watch for signs of bullying

can occur in many different areas and situations. Most of the bullying in schools occurs in areas without adult supervision, like hallways, playgrounds, locker rooms, student restrooms, school bus or school cafeteria.

However,聽it can happen in some neighborhoods, too, with other children making threats to disadvantaged ones in situations ranging from sports to simple social interaction.

So, what are the signs your child is being bullied? Any child can have a bad day and lash out at another.聽However, it is a repeating pattern that you should be on the lookout for.

• Your child doesn鈥檛 want to go to school.
• He or she has unexpected , bruises, or cuts.
• There are missing items of clothing, books, toys or other possessions.
• Your child is afraid of riding on the school bus.
• He doesn鈥檛 want to be left alone.
• She becomes withdrawn or evasive.
• You see a marked change in personality or , with your child becoming moody, anxious or depressed with no apparent reason; she may even talk about suicide.
• He frequently reports headaches or stomach aches or has to visit the nurse鈥檚 office quite often.
• He has , has nightmares, wets the bed, or cries himself to sleep.
• She waits to go home to use the bathroom (school bathrooms can be a typical venue for bullying).
• She is hungry (possibly had lunch or lunch money stolen by bullies).
• There is a change in school grades (bullying can lead to loss of focus and concentration on studies).
• There is a diminished self-esteem. Your child feels she is not good enough, feels unimportant 鈥� may even want to run away.
• She feels she has no friends.
• He starts to bully younger siblings 鈥� which could be a sign of displaced anger and aggression and a possible 鈥渇lipping鈥� of victim to bully.

Kids may not ask for help

A report from the聽聽revealed that adults were notified in less than half (40%) of bullying incidents. Children just don鈥檛 tell adults about being bullied for many reasons.

A parent may contact the bully鈥檚 parent with the result the bullied child is labeled a 鈥渢attletale” and will be subjected to further, and perhaps more serious bullying.

Some children don鈥檛 want their parents to know because the parents will think their children did something to cause whatever confrontation happened at school. Or the child may not want to be seen as weak and not able to stand up to the bullies.

The child may also not want his or her friends to know about being bullied because the friends may see the child as a liability who might get them in trouble, too, or they may at least distance themselves from the bullied child.

It is important for parents to understand that their bullied child will not necessarily come forward and report all situations of bullying. Parents have to look for signs and be in constant communication with teachers, coaches, other educators and other parents who are also looking for signs of bullying.

Kids who do ask for help may be ignored

As noted above, many children do not tell an adult, even their parents, when they have been bullied. They fear reprisals and loss of friendships. They fear their parents鈥� response that might be disappointment for not defending themselves or reprimanding them for 鈥渉anging out鈥� with the wrong crowd.

In , bullied children have reported that they did indeed tell their parents, but 鈥渨ere not believed.鈥� The parents can鈥檛 imagine that other children would do such a thing. Or they may say the other children were just 鈥渇ooling around鈥� and meant no harm.

Some children just don鈥檛 have the emotional strength or maturity to tell their parents. They start to do it but get too embarrassed to follow through. Parents should recognize the attempt to talk to them and encourage their child to continue.

Other children who do tell their parents say that their dad makes things worse by yelling at the bully. Some others say their moms told them what to do but tried it and it didn鈥檛 work. So, they didn鈥檛 feel the need to tell her again.

If you sense your child is trying to tell you something, realize that it is important and give it your full attention. Turn off the TV and any other distractions. Your child needs your ear and your support, and maybe some sensible advice. It can be a critical moment in your child鈥檚 emotional growth. Don鈥檛 ignore it.

Parents should ask questions, too

You as a all the possible signs of bullying. Once you know them, be on the lookout for them. If you see any, you may want to follow up with your child with some non-threatening questions to probe for the truth, knowing your child may not want to volunteer the information.

What kinds of questions should you ask? If your child seems hungry after school, you should ask if he has been eating his lunch. If he did eat lunch but still wants food, it could be a sign of anxiety. Ask him if there is anything wrong and if he feels he can talk about it.

If your child is missing something, like CDs or a lunchbox, ask directly if someone took it from her. Some children won鈥檛 tell you unless you ask.

If your child鈥檚 jacket is ripped, ask if someone else did that. Don鈥檛 blame your child for the incident. Have a calm conversation that could lead to follow-up discussion with a teacher or other parent.

When your child does tell you about one of these bullying situations, be sure to thank him or her for their honesty and courage to tell you. Convey the message that honesty is necessary to maintain a bond of trust in a family. Reinforce that bond by being honest with your child, too.

If you ask questions but don鈥檛 get answers, your child鈥檚 aversion and silence may be telling you a lot. Watch the body language for more clues.

If you sense there is something going on, plan to meet with a teacher or school official who knows your child, possibly more than one teacher. If you think it is a neighborhood situation, talk with other parents you know. Or possibly coaches if athletics were involved. A little detective work on the side and done with discretion, can go a long way to getting the answers your child is avoiding.

Another bit of detective work is to talk with a classmate or friend of your child. Maybe that child can tell you more than your own child about what happened.

There is a lot that , school counselors, coaches and even other students can do to stop bullying. Watch for the signs, and be prepared to talk with your child and take might be needed.

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Parents, teachers and other adults interfacing with children often do not recognize bullying or if they do, don鈥檛 know how to stop it. Adults need to recognize the problem when it happens, help redirect negative behaviors and empower victims. Bystanders need to get involved.

Our culture needs to change from conflict to compassion. Parents and teachers need to teach kindness and respect and show our children they are valued and protected.

Over the past few years, there has been an international movement to try to stem the tide of bullying. The month of October has been deemed as a focal point of these efforts to combat the negative attitudes and actions of bullies.

Many organizations have become proactive in different ways to lend their support and provide direction and programs for more awareness of the seriousness of bullying.

Many organizations support anti-bullying programs

October is the month when communities around the world come together to raise awareness for bullying prevention.

Events and activities are planned by thousands of communities, schools, organizations, and individuals across the globe to emphasize the importance of anti-bullying.

Many organizations are involved in heading the efforts for bullying prevention including PACER鈥檚 National Bullying Prevention Center and STOMP Out Bullying.

PACER encourages students, parents, and others around the world to become more aware of the seriousness of bullying and its consequences. It was created to not only raise awareness but also change the culture surrounding bullying. It is no longer considered a harmless rite of passage for children. It can lead to school avoidance, decreased self-esteem, depression, and even self-harm, according to Julie Herzog, director of the PACER National Bullying Prevention Center.

STOMP Out Bullying is well known as a leading national anti-bullying and cyberbullying organization for kids and teens in the U.S.聽 It was initially created as the signature program of , established in 1999.

STOMP Out Bullying focuses on issues like bullying, cyberbullying, sexting and other digital abuse, and it educates against homophobia, discrimination, racism, violence, and hatred in schools, online and in communities throughout the country. It promotes civility, inclusion, and equality throughout the country and beyond.

There are many partners of STOMP Out Bullying and it would be difficult to name all of them but they include ABC and , Aeropostale, Armour Foods, ESPN, Fox Sports Supports, Hollister, iHeartMedia, JCPenney, Planet Fitness and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

A month of themes and activities

Every October, schools and organizations across the country join STOMP Out Bullying in observing National Bullying Prevention Month. The goal is to encourage communities to work together to stop bullying and cyberbullying by increasing awareness of the prevalence and impact of bullying on all children of all ages. Similarly, PACER supports national recognition of bullying with activities and events across the country.

Monday, October 2nd: Blue shirt day

Anti-bullying activities in October kick off with a signature campaign: . The first Monday in October is designated as World Day of Bullying Prevention. There will be public service announcements about this date from featured celebrities.

The week of October 9^th: Make new friends week

Many children know what it鈥檚 like to feel left out or isolated. The week of October 9th is designated as the Make New Friends Week, and students are encouraged to seek out someone they don鈥檛 know very well and show some kindness. They can make a difference in someone else鈥檚 life. And it could be a life-saving difference.

October 11th: National Coming Out Day

We are not all the same, and our differences are our strengths as a nation and society. On October 11^th, , there is special recognition and celebration of those who come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning (LGBTQ).

The week of October 16th: Stand up for others week

The week of October 16 is devoted to continuing the initiatives of National Coming Out Day by celebrating all cultures and conditions including African Americans, Asians, Muslims, mentally or physically challenged, , and more.

The week of October 23rd: Inclusion week

This the week that everyone is encouraged to seek out those who feel isolated and make them feel comfortable. Students are asked to make sure 鈥渘o one eats alone.鈥� And students are asked to invite other students who may be less popular to join in school activities with them.

During after-school activities, students can bring others to their clubs and activities and give them a new experience, perhaps opening up new doors and areas of enjoyment for them.

When on the school bus, students can sit by someone new or by someone they normally don鈥檛 sit with, find out more about that student, share information, make a new friend.

Wednesday, October 25th: PACER鈥檚 National Unity Day (color it orange)

On October 25th, everyone will be wearing orange to represent . This is the day when students, educators, families, TV personalities, and others will wear orange to represent the message of support, hope, and unity that reflects the togetherness everyone seeks. Anyone can participate in this effort to promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Students throughout the country will be wearing orange tee-shirts on that day to increase awareness of the event and the purpose.

The week of October 30th: Conversation week

The final week is dedicated to opening up conversations about bullying and cyberbullying and how it can ruin the lives of victims. Discussions should be held on what it must be like to be different or isolated or depressed. Many organizations offer discussion toolkits and websites to support these kinds of discussions and suggest activities that go along with the themes for the month.

The goal of these discussions is to share feelings and experiences which might help the schools become more judgment and bully-free.聽 has no place in our educational systems and no place in our society. The programs, activities, resources, and supporters of National Bullying Prevention Week will be trying to make a difference, hopefully, one that will carry forward into the future.

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There is no doubt that autistic children are dysfunctional in many environments. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty with language and emotional development. They have trouble communicating with others in a 鈥渟ocially acceptable鈥� way.

They have trouble in school, taking tests, paying attention in class, and relating to other students.

These children are overwhelmed by sensory information and are hypersensitive to touch, smell, sounds and light. They are different from other children in a way that is called 鈥溾�� and may sometimes be聽.

This condition is now being looked at as a key to unlocking the special skills and talents of the ASD child in a way that will lead to the cultivation of these talents in adulthood.

Dysfunctionality is contextual

More and more research is discovering that children (and adults) who have autism are dysfunctional only in certain ways and certain environments. In other circumstances, they are what we would call 鈥渘ormal鈥� or even 鈥渟uperior.鈥� It depends totally on the context of the moment.

There are many examples of this. An ASD child might be easily distracted by sounds in school or other social situations. But that same child might be a very talented musician in a different setting. Heightened auditory and perceptual sensitivity can be a disadvantage in one situation but a decided advantage in a totally different context.

When was a child, he couldn鈥檛 stand the sound of Christmas presents being unwrapped. His father happened to buy him a top piano. He showed that he had a perfect pitch and loved playing the instrument. He taught himself how to play and now he tours the world playing the piano for large audiences and making money for charity.

There is a program in New York for ASD youths. It is called the New York Transit Subway Sleuths after-school program. It is designed to help children learn about trains and transportation and better communicate in social situations. In 2016, the program won a The program is lending truth to the theory that dysfunctions diminish when ASD children are engaged in their special-interest areas.

ASD children tend to systematize things and look for patterns in their environment. So they become fascinated with transportation systems. They might memorize makes and models of all the trains. Or they might analyze the maps of all the subway lines. Or they might catalogue all the parts and mechanics. These children learn to socialize by working together in a common environment. They are supported by several professionals including a special education teacher, a speech pathologist, and a museum educator.

The program leaders believe that it is a success because they look at the obsessive characteristics of autistic children as an opportunity rather than a hindrance. They say the old model was to see obsession as a negative and try to limit it. The new model is to see the strengths and interests as benefits to the individual and to society.

In terms, if the autistic child is fully engaged in something he or she loves, the task is seen as highly relevant, and distractions are avoided. If the child is not interested or engaged, the autistic child perceives the task as not very challenging or needing much attention, and so distractions are much stronger. The success of the transit program in engaging autistic youth in their areas of interest is further proof that dysfunctionality is contextual.

Autistic traits are seen as benefits worldwide

Throughout the world, there is a growing number of instances where autistic traits are being viewed positively and people with autism are being selected for highly skilled assignments and tasks.

The (IDF) prepares high school ASD students for eventual entry into the IDF. It works with ASD teens in the Visual Intelligence Division. They are classified as soldiers in the IDF, and their jobs are to look for minute changes in satellite patterns that are not discernible to others. It鈥檚 a job the ASD soldiers prefer doing because for them it is easy and seems like almost a .

The Association for Autism has a motto that 鈥渁utism is not a disease; it鈥檚 a difference.鈥�

introduced its first new puppet in 10 years, Julia, a four-year-old girl with autism. The attitude toward autism is changing.

Next year in In the United States, ABC will air a new show titled , about a surgeon with autism who struggles with emotional and social issues but is exceptionally skilled at medicine. The doctor uses his extraordinary medical skills to treat patients and save lives while proving his skeptics wrong.

The unique characteristics of Aspien Woman

There is a term for adult women with Asperger鈥檚 Syndrome. It is Aspienwomen. Tania A. Marshal wrote a book titled , the Unique Characteristics, Traits, and Gifts of Adult Females on the Autism Spectrum.鈥� The multi-award winning book discusses the lives of many people with autism who became successful in all walks of life including actors, writers, producers, performers, teachers, nurses, psychologists, entrepreneurs, engineers, athletes and more.

The book discusses many topics and is a positive message for women with autism. The book is an advocate for this group and their unique needs, challenges, and skills and is just one example of the changing attitudes toward autism. There is more and more awareness being raised of autism spectrum conditions, misunderstandings, and the new model of positivism that is emerging.

Autism is not weird

One website, 鈥�,鈥� has been developed by Chris Bonnell, someone who experienced childhood autism and bullying. He is now an invited speaker on the subject. He is a former teacher and holds a Master鈥檚 Degree in Creative Writing.

He asks the question 鈥淲hat is the difference between an interest and an obsession?鈥� So many times a non-autistic person is said to have a strong interest in something. If an autistic person had the same interest, it would be called an obsession.

We need passion in our lives and so we need strong interests here and there. We need obsessions. Instead of trying to change your child鈥檚 obsessions, you may want to view them differently 鈥� more as gifts than limitations.

As many successful adults have shown, obsessive habits associated with autism can lead to very fulfilling lives in our society.

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