Kids can be brutal to one another. It results in stress for your child as they process what is happening and learn to cope with it. Of course, it’s also of great concern for parents as well.  If you’re worried about your child, it’s only natural to want to help them defend themselves and keep them safe.

Let’s explore some red flags you should watch for to know if your kid is getting bullied.

1. Headaches and Stomachaches

Kids bullied in school may not have the courage to talk about it. The signs appear in other ways, like frequent ailments. Suppose your child constantly complains of a headache or stomachache. In that case, they might be going through something at school that is causing their anxiety to permeate through their body in physical ailment form.

Dietary changes like a loss of appetite can be a symptom of bullying. Try approaching your child with understanding and questioning them about the reason for their sudden changes. Scolding them for not eating enough will likely just make matters worse. Coax them into telling you what is going on.

2. Withdrawal From Family Functions

Being a parent sometimes entails reading between the lines. Kids are likely ashamed of being bullied and can fear getting in trouble or being judged for not standing up for themselves. This can be challenging with the never-ending to-do list you already have, but you should do your best to take notice when your child is suffering.

Any changes in their behavior, dietary habits, and socialization can cause concern. Connecting with others is an essential way of relieving negative thoughts and anxiety. When your child withdraws from family, they’re likely feeding into insecurities brought on by judgment from others.

3. Losing Interest in Socialization

Bullying is scary for children. Often, they don’t know how to react. When they tell, they can be labeled as a tattletale. When they fight back, they can get in trouble for fighting. Bullying can be confusing, and when kids don’t know the best route to take, they can get overwhelmed and completely shut down emotionally. This can cause a complete loss of interest in any social gatherings or hanging out with their friends.

They want to avoid any situation where bullying would likely occur, including going to school. If your child is suddenly using every trick in the book to get out of going to school or attending extracurricular activities they used to find fun, there’s a good chance they’re being bullied in some way or another.

4. Difficulty Sleeping

Difficulty sleeping or having frequent nightmares can be a sign of bullying. Any shift in your child’s sleeping patterns is a reason to worry because quality sleep is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Most older kids aren’t getting the needed rest and are more likely to experience various sleep challenges.

If your child is waking in the middle of the night or suddenly having issues falling asleep, consider talking with them to find the cause. Often, kids don’t want to go to the doctor, so telling them you’re worried and might need to take them can get them to open up to you about what is bothering them. Be consistent with their bedtime and limit their screen time to see if that helps before making the trip.

5. Decrease in Self-Esteem

Bullying can manifest in your child and lower their self-esteem. If you notice your child’s confidence plummet or they begin doubting themselves, they might be a victim of bullying. There isn’t much you can do to help your child if they don’t communicate with you. Encourage your child to open up about why they’re so hard on themselves. Adolescence and teenage years are tough and can harm kids’ self-image.

Encourage your child to love themselves, take time for their mental health, and support their friends’ self-image as well. Be observant and set positive examples and expectations for your child. Ensure they know who to talk to when they feel bullied or notice a bully harming someone else.

Signs Your Child Is Getting Bullied

Bullying can be physical, with apparent signs you can be watchful for – like torn clothing or bumps and bruises. Bullying can also be verbal, emotional, and hard to detect in your children.

If you witness any of these symptoms, your child might be a victim of bullying. Learn how to protect your child against bullying.  Do your best to establish an open line of communication so your child feels comfortable coming to you with their fears and concerns.

Author bio:
Cora Gold is the Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine, Revivalist. She strives to live a happy and healthy life with her family by her side.

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Autism is a neurological disorder. It impacts how an individual learns, interacts and behaves with another. The condition affects social skills and causes repetitive actions yet has a distinct set of strengths. The good news is that besides therapy and study programs, a park can also contribute to the good emotional space of an autistic child.

In this environment, a child with autism are less likely to be scared of socializing, have a clear understanding of safety awareness and reduce the fear of misunderstandings with fellow visitors. CDC estimates that about 1 in 44 8-year-old children have been identified as ASD which is 23 per 1,000.  According to the newest autism statistics, the ASD prevalence in the US has increased by 312% since 2000. Therefore, the focus on effective methods of therapy will continue to be vitally important.

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A specially designed play area offers sensory inputs. It is tremendously useful for children with autism since it helps boost their tactile, visual and auditory systems. Getting the layout and facilities right is vital else it can turn into a dangerous place for kids with disabilities. They may have meltdowns or struggle with going to busy places. Depression can also set in which anyway affects 7% of all children with autism. Below are a few tips to design a playground that can be a safe space to express themselves.

1.  Incorporate Sensory Play

Engaging the senses can help a child develop proprioceptive and vestibular systems. This can improve orientation and balance. More than 90% of children with ADS report hypo and hyper sensitivities in different domains which range from mild to severe. This can be handled with a sensory play which ensures healthy brain development to build nerve connections. It can be done by adding sensory panels, motion play, musical instruments and water fun to support problem solving-skills, cognitive growth and social interaction. Educate parents so that highly sensitive kids do not get overwhelmed.

2.  Build Quiet Places

An autistic child may feel sensory overloads leading to entering a freeze, flight or fight mode in response. They start feeling panicky or unsafe. A cozy space away from the main play area can create a positive environment. Parents can also enjoy peace of mind knowing that their child is less likely to run away. This is a common tendency and surveys have found that children diagnosed with autism aged between 4 and 10 have often tried to elope to escape unpleasant sensory stimuli. Hiding spots offer a good break and help them recenter. You may consider pods, small shelters or anything cocooned.

3.  Highlight Nature

Children with autism benefit from staying close to nature. They gain motor skills and agility. Exposure also boosts observational skills, reasoning and awareness. The child must be able to scoop leaves with their hands, jump in puddles or smell flowers. Teach them to take photos of their surroundings, paint trees and ponds and feed birds. Autistic children can also learn about changing seasons and being kind to animals in the playground.

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Young kids get a clear idea of colors like blue, green, yellow and orange when nature is in abundance around them. They tend to become calm and relaxed in the presence of natural elements like a cool breeze.

4.  Smooth Surfacing

This is a big step in creating a safe space for children living with autism. Engineered wood fiber, poured-in-place rubber, recycled bonded rubber, recycled rubber loose fill and recycled rubber tiles are the best choices. Make sure these are not highly textured to avoid the hassles of children with crutches or wheelchairs. Kids with ADS are likely to stumble upon anyone who does not experience motor impairments. They may also jump off equipment like monkey bars which could be slightly harmful. But a safety surface can diffuse the impact and keep them from severe injuries like fractures.

This is especially crucial since playground accidents are responsible for approximately 200,000 US emergency department visits in children below 18 years. You may add special paths and tracks covered with mulch instead of an open layout. This gives a sense of direction for them to move in and reduce anxiety levels.

Autistic kids should be able to naturally interact with peers with different abilities. Build a socialization area with benches and picnic tables since these special children have a strong desire for friendship. Do your best to accommodate all skill sets and sensitivities to introduce them to new experiences as well.

Whether it be because a school’s science programs have been neglected or simply struggle to get kids to pay attention in class, many science classes could use a hand in improving themselves. That way, they can provide future generations with the knowledge they need to thrive in STEM subjects.

Here are a few ways to improve science programs in schools that will help kids stay engaged and prepared for the future.

Improving Curriculums

Because America doesn’t have a national standard when it comes to school curriculums, many science classes and programs don’t have a consistent schedule that ensures kids are learning what they’re supposed to and ensure that later programs build off what students have already learned.

Instead, irregular curriculums mean students often have to relearn things they already know or jump ahead to subjects without context—both of which can be discouraging and kill student engagement.

A Consistent Schedule

In lieu of a national curriculum, schools should endeavor to create a consistent schedule for their students and, if possible, even create a curriculum that spans the entire school district. Providing such structure not only ensures comprehensive and consistent learning but also helps retain a student’s developing passion for various scientific fields.

This is especially useful for students if they don’t feel like they’re having to backtrack or lurch ahead in their learning—the former being unstimulating and boring, while the latter causes confusion and frustration.

Invest in Equipment

Lectures and diagrams can only go so far. Kids, especially younger kids, don’t have that kind of patience and will quickly lose focus. That’s why it’s important that science programs have the resources needed to invest in lab equipment. This will allow science teachers to engage students with examples or displays of experiments in person, making classes more interesting and informative.

Ideally, schools should strive to provide equipment for students to use. This is one of the best ways to improve science programs in schools because the students gain experience working with the equipment and gain a more in-depth understanding of the scientific process.

Student Participation

Everyone learns best by doing. It’s the most direct and thorough lesson and will not only allow kids to participate and engage with the lesson but allows them to apply their critical thinking and problem-solving skills in experiments they get to conduct themselves. For that reason, equipment like microscopes engages kids by giving them new experiences and helping them interact with the lesson more intimately.

Performing experiments themselves make science lessons feel less abstract for students. In addition, having the chance to experiment and perform the scientific process themselves may also help spark and foster a love of science that could propel kids into STEM careers. Even smaller, more hands-on projects like building a model rocket can be a great way to improve student participation.

These are just a handful of the ways to improve science programs at your school. Consider starting with these tips to help your students grow their passion for this field.

How to Write Learning Objectives

Snapchat has experienced tremendous growth over the last several years. Due to its increased popularity among kids and teens, this app is available on almost every kid’s device. This social networking app lets everyone in the world quickly connect with each other, and it can be used on both Android and iOS smartphones.

This application is a lot of fun to use, and it comes with a wide variety of functions, such as how to Pin Snapchat Conversation on iPhone, Find Your Friend’s Location on Map and much more.  It is, nevertheless, surrounded by several online threats as well.

When the vast majority of parents believe their children are completely secure while using Snapchat, the reality is very different. If you care about your kid’s online safety, you must activate Snapchat’s parental controls.

Well, the application has gone through a number of changes since it was first released, and one of those updates included the capability to store photos and videos that were sent to you by other people. If you’re concerned about your child’s safety while using the app, it’s best to stay up-to-date on the most recent changes and follow the app’s official instructions for activating parental controls.

What Do You Need to Know About Snapchat as Parents?

Children and teenagers both are addicted to Snapchat these days due to its mind-boggling capabilities, but they have also complained about a number of issues such as the Snapchat Loading Screen issues and a few more. Beyond that, it’s likely that your child has already downloaded the app and is using it on their smartphone. There are several important considerations for parents about Snapchat. Snaps are used to describe all the stuff posted to this app. There are three methods to view the photographs on the app, and each one has a unique time limit.

The photos you share with your friends disappear as soon as they’re seen. The group photos, on the other hand, may be seen twice. Finally, photographs uploaded to stories are visible to anybody and everyone for a limited time only.

Without a doubt, Snapchat is a popular social app among young people. They like using this app because it facilitates discreet communication by erasing texts once they have been read. But parents should talk to their children about the potential consequences of using this app.

In your role as parents, you have a responsibility to inform kids that anybody may capture screenshots of their photos and send them to others. Everything you do online may be seen by everyone. Sharing photos of your kids on Snapchat is probably not a good idea if they are unhappy with the idea of having their photos posted online.

How Snapchat Parental Control Feature Can Help Parents?

Snapchat’s built-in Parental Control tool makes it simple for parents to limit access to certain functions. If you do this, you may lessen the likelihood of your kids being hooked to the app. You may prevent them from using the app by simply blocking it on their smartphone. Furthermore, time limits may be imposed on the device. The app’s usage is time-locked, so they can only access it for a certain period.

You can keep an eye on your children’s social media activity with the use of a parental control app. This will allow them to use the platform intelligently and efficiently.

How to Set Snapchat Parental Control for Your Kids?

Here is a step-by-step guide for parents on how to set up parental controls on any phone so they can ensure their kids are safe on Snapchat by keeping an eye on what they are doing.

First of all, you’ll need to make some changes to “Privacy Settings” in your kid’s Snapchat App. Take their smartphone, open the Snapchat app and find “Gear Icon” on the top right corner to enter into the Privacy Settings. Now, keep scrolling down and find “Who Can” and that’s the option where you may need to make changes.

Under the “Who Can” section, you’ll find different options in which you need to make changes. So instance:

• Option 1 – Contact Me

In Contact Me, you will see two different options – “My Friends” or “Everyone.” Don’t let strangers contact your child by choosing the “My Friends” option. It will stop all the calls, messages as well as snaps from an unknown person.

• Option 2 – View My Story

Under the “View My Story” section, you’ll find three different options – Custom, Friends Only and Everyone. Be sure to choose the option “Friends Only” to keep protecting your kid. However, the Custom option further allows you to choose which specific friends can have conversations with your child.

• Option 3 – See Me In Quick Add

The next option you’ll find is described as “See Me In Quick Add.” Be sure you uncheck the box that says “See Me In Quick Add” and now unknown people won’t be able to find your kid on Snapchat any further.

• Option 4 – See My Location

At this point, you may choose a few different ways to proceed. For instance, you may restrict your child’s location sharing to just friends, or to a select group of friends. Additionally, you may prevent certain friends from tracking your kid’s location.

However, Ghost Mode should be “On” so that no one can track your children. That will secure your kids completely from anybody who would want to harm them, including abusers, kidnappers, scammers, and even friends who can come up unexpectedly and bring your kid somewhere they don’t really want to go.

Besides, turn off the option to “Allow Friends to Request My Location” by scrolling down a little. If you don’t disable Live Location Requests, your child’s friends may still see where they are in real-time even when Ghost Mode is on.

Wrapping Up

It’s too easy to keep monitoring your kids through Snapchat’s built-in Parental Control feature. However, you may also protect any family member from potential risks by using a wide range of 3rd party applications that comprise many more features for extra security.

They are a great way to keep an eye on your kids’ online activities and ensure they’re safe by listening in on their calls, text messages, GPS positions, screenshots, keystrokes, and chats.