October is National Bullying Prevention Month 

Bullies are present in every school and in every community. All children have had to deal with bullying and teasing from some perspective – if not as the bully, the victim, or both, then as the bystander who sees their friends or siblings being bullied. They may struggle with understanding whether and how to respond.

For children involved in the child welfare system, bullying and teasing is a serious problem, because they often have fewer supports for dealing with it. If you are interested in knowing the impact bullying can have you may want to review this article for the National Center for Permanency and Family Connections.

We have collected some other resources to help you educate yourself and your kids bullying. The first step is arming yourselves with information about bullying and kids in foster care. We found this great article for you from the Seattle YMCA. This free course by the National Foster Parent Association addresses bullying as one of its key topics. We also found that UNICEF has developed a helpful article about talking to your children about bullying.
Finally, you will want to check out this helpful government website with videos and tips about bullying.
For the Fun of It

October is also National Cookie Month! For a fun family activity try mixing up a base cookie dough and then allow kids to create their own cookie with their favorite candy pieces or fruits or whatever comes to their imaginations. You might try your own home version of Chopped with a taste test for all.
Meet Jacob & Mark

Jacob is a special little person with a huge heart! He loves to show his affection to others by giving hugs and kisses. He enjoys playing with his Legos, things that move and make noise, and the outdoors. Jacob requires full-time love and assistance with his daily living skills; however, he can perform some tasks independently. Jacob has limited expressive and comprehensive skills. Therefore, he requires a family with a lot of patience that will work with him to thrive. Jacob reaches his full potential with normalcy, consistency, and a structured routine. He attends public school full time and has special supports in place to help him while in school. Jacob can get along with other children, but he prefers to play alone. He has a special bond with his younger brother, Mark.

Mark is an active, energetic, and loving little guy. He enjoys riding his bike, listening to rap music, and playing with balls. Mark is independent and can complete his daily living tasks on his own. For example, Mark can clean his room, make his bed, and fold his clothes. However, at times, he requires redirection and guidance in his daily activities. Mark is smart, expressive, and athletic, enjoys playing football and being outdoors and does well in school. Mark loves his older brother Jacob and desires to be in a home with Jacob.

Could you be the loving family for these sweet young fellows?