Thousands of Students Skip School Because of Bullying

RVA Parents Forum Series Addresses Bullying Solutions October 14th

kids groupOctober is National Bullying Prevention Month, an important time to bring awareness to the impact on kids and their families. Every day, approximately 160,000 teens skip school because of bullying and 1 in 10 drops out of school due to repeated bullying, according to recent statistics from www.nobully.com.

“Bullying is a real problem that can have devastating effects on kids and their families, including school avoidance, loss of self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and even suicide,” said Liz Pearce, Director of Parent Engagement at the Children’s Museum of Richmond.

Dr. Julie Linker, PhD, and Colleen Dolan, PsyD, with the Virginia Treatment Center for Children will lead a panel of experts as they present the latest in bullying trends, information on the harmful effects on child development, and offer common sense solutions for parents dealing with this complex problem.

Commonwealth Parenting, celebrating its 30th Anniversary and new partnership with the Children’s Museum of Richmond, kicks off its 6-part RVA Parents Forum Series with the topic of Bullying: Should Parents Step In? on Tuesday, October 14 at 6 p.m. at the Children’s Museum of Richmond-Short Pump location.

The RVA Parents Forum Series brings experts and family educators together with parents to address challenging issues ranging from Bullying, Alcohol, Drugs, and Sex … to Divorce, Technology and Stress. Parents will learn how to identify potential problems and leave empowered with answers.

The RVA Parents Forum Series will be held the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Children’s Museum of Richmond-Short Pump location, 2200 Old Brick Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060. The 6-part series begins October 14, 2014 and will run through April 14, 2015. Cost is $30 per class/$150 for series of 6. Cost includes dinner, class, parenting experts, and interactive Q&A session. Babysitting is available, reservations required. Please call 804-545-1272.