October 22, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: PACER Center 952-838-9000, 800-53-PACER
PACER & TWIGTALE PARTNER ON CUSTOMIZABLE BOOK TO HELP YOUNG CHILDREN UNDERSTAND AND PREVENT BULLYING
In support of Unity Day, and in partnership with Babble.com, PACER is working with the experts at Twigtale to create a customizable book to prevent bullying. The book helps young children understand how to be a good friend and how to assert oneself when not being treated respectfully.
The story highlights the critical concepts of turn-taking, sharing, reading social cues, and empathizing. “Learning to Stand Tall and Act Brave” models respectful behavior and how to cope with challenges from friends.
Bullying can involve targeting and dominating a vulnerable peer with physical attacks, name-calling, exclusion, manipulation, secret telling and spreading rumors. There are many factors impacting the development of bullying behavior, as well as those with a tendency to be targeted, but early intervention and better yet, prevention, by starting the learning as babies and toddlers, can build lifelong advocacy skills. Parents and teachers can make significant impact by consistently teaching and guiding children to stop their bodies, notice the social cues of another, have empathy, use their words, ask for help if needed, and problem solve.
A leading child development expert scripted the easy-to-use template, available on Twigtale.com. You simply add photos and details to create the book personalized to your child. A portion of proceeds will be donated to PACER!
Twigtale empowers parents to create personalized stories to help their kids understand childhood transitions and tough situations – such as welcoming a new sibling, moving, separation anxiety, even explaining adoption or illness. Stories are scripted by child development experts, and then personalized by parents with family photos and details at Twigtale.com. Our current titles span transitions, anxieties, self-esteem and early learning.
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