With schools back in session across San Diego County, a local theatre troupe has released a creative, new tool to help kids cope with bullying.
It’s called “Baffle Away Bullying!” -- a video designed to help kindergarten through third-graders stand up to bullying behavior in a positive way.
Amy Jones Anachini, founder of San Diego-based nonprofit Act Like You Matter, said the program is based on a three-step strategy.
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“Stomach -- breathe to stay calm, smile by thinking happy thoughts and harmless words and actions,” Anachini said, “to kind of distract the other student from what they’re doing and sort of throw them off of their game.”
Anachini said the idea took shape after her daughter’s own painful experience with bullying.
“Her dad and I worked with her to come up with a strategy that she could use whenever she saw these kids coming toward her,” Anachini said.
The family later shared their strategy in a book, and a few years ago, Anachini adapted it into an interactive stage play. Members of her youth anti-bullying acting troupe, Theatre of Peace, have performed it at schools throughout Southern California.
“It’s so much easier for kids to absorb what we’re saying when we’re performing it to them on a stage,” said actress Julia Van Skike. “I think it really helps them be able to imagine themselves as one of the characters and see what they can maybe do to help stop bullying.”
Anachini said the new “Baffle Away Bullying!” video will allow them to reach even more students.
“For the first time ever, a family is going to be able to access this program for about the price of renting a video on Netflix,” she said.
To learn more about “Baffle Away Bullying!” and find out how you can rent the video for your family, youth group or classroom, click here.
