Easing the Teasing at Day Care

Staff Workshop Presented by Judy S. Freedman, L.C.S.W.

An extended day care program is a very likely place for teasing to occur. Kids are often tired or wound up after their day at school. Many children continue their unresolved peer difficulties from the school playground to the day care arena.

The multi-ages of the children in a generally unstructured day care setting creates opportunities for teasing and bullying behaviors. Name-calling, ridicule, put-downs, and exclusion are indeed detrimental to the victims and to the overall social and emotional climate. Extended day care personnel can be extremely instrumental in decreasing such negative, hurtful, and offensive behaviors. The Easing the Teasing at Day Care workshop empowers staff with tools, tips, and practical advice. The workshop addresses:

• Teasing vs. Bullying
• Mean Girls” – Relational Aggression
• Cyberbullying and online social cruelties
• Reactions to and effects of teasing
• What are children teased about?
• Who are the likely victims?
• Easing the Teasing strategies
• Bystanders – Strength in numbers
• Tips for creating a safe and respectful setting

For information on how to bring Easing the Teasing to your camp, contact Judy Freedman at [email protected].

Judy Freedman, a licensed clinical social worker, has appeared on NBC and other national and local media to comment on school violence. Her book, Easing the Teasing – Helping Your Child Cope with Name-Calling, Ridicule, and Verbal Bullying was published by Contemporary Books/McGraw-Hill in 2002.