About Teasing

What is teasing?
Good-humored or playful teasing is when one person has fun with another person. Good-humored teasing causes everyone to smile or laugh, including the "teasee," the person who is teased.

In contrast, hurtful or cruel teasing is when one person makes fun of another. Hurtful teasing includes ridicule, name-calling, put-downs, and annoying actions. Unike good-humored teasing, hurtful teasing may cause the person being teased to feel sad, angry, upset, or helpless. At times, teasing that is intended to be good-humored may be perceived or interpreted as hurtful.

More hostile teasing may include tormenting, harassing, or verbal bullying. According to professional literature, bullying is ongoing, intentional, and frequent, which includes verbal taunting, name-calling, threats, stealing, and acts of physical aggression. Bullying may begin with teasing and taunting as the bully carefully selects a vulnerable target.

About Easing the Teasing
Easing the Teasing empowers children and teens with strategies to manage and overcome these painful incidents. Drawing from more than 20 years of experience as a social worker in suburban Chicago schools, Judy Freedman has created a groundbreaking program to teach children and parents how to deal effectively with teasing and develop life-long coping skills.

The cornerstone of Easing the Teasing is the book by Judy Freedman, which was published by Contemporary Books, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies.

In addition to the book, Judy Freedman travels the country presenting Easing the Teasing for school staff development and in-service days, parent organizations and student groups. She has presented to (name some of your notable presentations, like the national PTA, etc) and was featured on NBC Nightly News, Fox News Channel and in the Chicago Tribune.

In you would like more information about Easing the Teasing than is found on this site, you may contact Judy Freedman by clicking here.