I respect and admire Coloroso's views. Remarkable, intelligent gal. I had the pleasure of hearing her address the bullying issue in Edson, Alberta. Her points certainly clarify the issue.

I began to appreciate her wisdom years ago when she spoke to the issue of kids who put their boots on the wrong feet. She would ask the audience if anyone stressed over that. Usually 2/3 would shoot their hands up. She asked why. When the boots hurt the child's feet the child will put them on the right feet. Small thing, but she has the ability to see issues very clearly, and the ability to put solutions into words.

Something else she mentioned is this: It is a big mistake to keep rewarding children because they 'do something nice'. We started that four decades ago, and now it is expected. (These phony 'catch someone doing a good turn for another' and they get a reward. How sad.) Now, these things are here to haunt us, and until we approach bullying and violence in a manner that

1) protects the bullied
2) corrects the bully-er
3) educates the third parties as to their role in the scheme of things

the cycles will continue.

Coloroso also gave three rules (three gems actually) to discern the difference between tattling and telling. She will ask the child

into, out of, don't know

If the child is talking to her to get anothe child into trouble, that is tattling. If it's to get another child out of trouble, that is telling. Don't know means it's a situation that should be looked into PDQ. The woman is brilliant. Her books are worth reading. She has much to teach. Would I had a tenth her insight and wisdom.

BM