Does Back To School Mean Back To Bullying?

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Approximately 71 percent of students report bullying as an ongoing problem and almost one out of every 10 students drops out or changes schools because of repeated bullying.  Moreover, military kids that have added stresses like deployment and relocation are more susceptible to bullying.  This month, best-selling author, motivational speaker and USO Tour Veteran, Trevor Romain, kicks off his Fall USO World Tour to help children and their parents recognize the signs of bullying and how to address it- whether the child is the victim or the bully.

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"Often children become bullies because they are angry, frustrated or sad and they just don't have a way of managing these feelings and they turn to bullying as a coping method," said Romain.  "We as adults need to create a comfortable, safe place for children to report what is going on in their lives."

The With You All the Way USO tour will take Romain throughout Europe to meet with hundreds of military children.  Military children are faced with unique challenges like deployment, reintegration and when a parent returns home with visible or invisible wounds.  Romain weaves information, tools and resources through the presentation with humor to reach children and help them learn to express their feelings in a positive way.  In partnership with the USO, the Trevor Romain Company and their foundation, the Comfort Crew for Military Kids, provide military children with kits that include DVDs, resources for parents and caregivers as well as a journal to help children express their thoughts and feelings.

"Part of our USO tour is to leave children with a journal that has prompts in it and a place to write and express their feelings," said Romain.  "This little girl wrote to me about the journal.  She said 'Dear Mr. Romain I wrote in my journal like you told me to.  I wrote all my feelings down and when my Daddy came back he read my journal and he cried.  And when my Daddy cried I knew my Daddy got his feelings back.  And when my Daddy got his feelings back that's when I got my Daddy back.'"

Romain authored the book "Bullies are a Pain in the Brain" based on his experiences being bullied as a child and working with children from around the world.  He says there are a few simple signs parents can look for and things they can do to help:

• Are they acting out?  Is their behavior out of the norm?
• Listen to your child- they want to tell you about their situation, but sometimes just don't know how. 
• Talk to your child's teacher or school counselor.  Ask what programs they have in place to combat bullying.
• Share your experiences.  Children want to know they are not alone and sharing an experience you had as a child can help ease their fears.

To learn more about Trevor Romain, the USO With You All the Way program, listen to the With You All the Way theme song and find upcoming tour stops visit www.uso.org/trevor-romain.

About the USO
The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America's troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen.

The USO is a private, nonprofit organization, not a government agency. All of our programs and services are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff. In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President's Circle Partners: American Airlines, AT&T, Clear Channel, The Coca-Cola Company, jcpenney, Kangaroo Express, Kroger, Lowe's, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Procter & Gamble, and TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Worldwide Strategic Partners: BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation and TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this patriotic mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org.

About the Comfort Crew for Military Kids
The Comfort Crew for Military Kids is a nonprofit organization creating resources to support and comfort military children and their families when challenged by adversity.

Media Contact: 
Andrea Sok
703-579-0858
[email protected]

SOURCE USO