What's your #PinkShirtPromise?

It's Pink Shirt Day, the day to bring awareness and support to anti-bullying initiatives.

Becky Gach is the Centre Director at Sylvan Learning in Okotoks, she says she often see's children walk through her doors after being bullied for their academics.

"Academic Bullying happens when youth is called upon to read aloud and they stumble or have a hard time reading. Or if they answer a question wrong in math." Gach says "Even when they're writing stories they do tend to get picked on, and a lot of the time that is the driving factor to start coming to us."

Often times students come into the Learning Centre feeling very ostracized and alone.

Gach says after being bullied kids often feel very alone.

"That's probably the biggest thing I see here, they come in thinking that they're the dumbest kid in the world, like everyone else can read and they're the only ones." Gach adds "There are a lot of kids out there that are experiencing the same things, and there are ways that we can help them and let them know that the bullying isn't right."

If you believe that your child is being bullied at school, or you notice a shift in their self confidence it is a warning sign to at least have the conversation and potentially find a way to help them.

Gach says things like positive self talk, positive reinforcement and constructive criticism can make all the difference.

"I think positivity is the biggest thing. Once you are being bullied and are struggling academically, it's really easy to get into that downward spiral of 'I suck so I might as well not even try' and then things can start to spiral out of control."

With the prevalence of Social Media and the Internet in youth's lives the face of bullying has changed drastically.

Gach says it's now more important then ever to be that trusted adult in a child's life that let's them know they are not alone, and they always have someone on their side to talk to.

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