Jeff Veley’s Blog
Expert insight for grownups featuring advice for parents, educators, and mental health professionals.
SQUABBLES Launches Card Game on Kickstarter
A Conflict Resolution Card Game I am so excited to announce the release of SQUABBLES: The Game of Conflict Resolution. Man oh man, it's been more than a year in the making and I want to thank everyone who has been patiently waiting for this resilience-building...
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How to Stop Aggressive Behavior
Simple Solutions to Mean Behavior Bullying is a major buzzword in schools and among families. It seems that everyone has an opinion on how to handle bullies and solve this complex problem. Typically the solutions offered cause more issues or require...
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Announcing Squabbles™ Games for Social and Emotional Learning
Squabbles™ Launch Party It was a joy to announce the launch of Squabbles™ with my dear friends. Over one year in the making, Squabbles™ is the improvisational role-play game that teaches students how to manage emotions, solve social problems, and stop bullying...
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Golden Rule Ambassadors Expands Curriculum to Reach Elementary Students
Social and Emotional Learning Program Program Helps Students Grow in Civility and CitizenshipAfter launching the Golden Rule Ambassadors Curriculum last fall, we took time to survey those using the program. While it was designed as a resource for middle and high...
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National Tour Brings Bullying Prevention Message to Schools
Stop Bullying. Build Resilience. The "Love Changes It All Tour" will visit schools across the country this fall in an effort to help schools stop bullying through building resilience. The effort is led by national social skills educator Jeff Veley who produces the...
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Michigan Schools Accused of Violating Anti-Bullying Laws
Educators Blamed for Underreporting A recent article from The Lansing State Journal caught my attention. As a Michigan native, I've spent countless hours in Michigan schools over the last 10 years, addressing the issue of bullying. In addition to being a youth...
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New Social and Emotional Learning Programs for Schools
Powerful Social and Emotional Learning ProgramsSchools are looking for bullying prevention programs that work. Additionally, they want something that will last and help their students grow both socially and emotionally . Jeff Veley is a youth motivational speaker...
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Columbine and the Anti-Bullying Movement: 20 Years Later
Reflecting on the Columbine MassacreToday, America reflects on the events of April 20th, 1999 at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. It was a tragic day that changed how we view school safety and made us hug our kids a bit tighter, each day. After the...
read moreAnti-Bully Law: Parents Fined for Kids’ Bullying Behavior
Wisconsin Attempts to Stop Bullies in New LegislationOne Wisconsin city is saying "no" to bullying through a new proposal that would hold parents responsible. The proposed law is one of many across America which attempts to reduce incidents of bullying through legal...
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The Momo Challenge: Suicide Game or Viral Hoax
What is Momo? A scary face (known as Momo) is making another viral round on the internet, frightening parents and children. According to reports, the image suddenly appears on apps and websites such as YouTube, WhatsApp, Fortnight and Peppa Pig. It allegedly...
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The Toxic Word “Bullying”
Bullying prevention specialists sit down to discuss the negative impacts of the word "bullying". Learn why this one word can derail progress when it comes to helping targets of social aggression.Today, the words "bully" and "bullying" are legal words, as there are...
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Bullying Expert Speaks to Students/Parents at General McLane School District
Youth motivational speaker, Jeff Veley, spoke with hundreds of students in General McLane, from elementary to high school. An award-winning bullying expert makes his way to the General McLane School District. Tuesday, Jeff Veley, a youth motivational speaker, used a...
read moreI Hope That My Brother Bullies Me
A Student's Positive Perspective on Bullying"I hope that my brother is mean to me". A seventh grade boy (whom I'll call Dylan) shared this with me following a recent school assembly. As a youth motivational speaker, my goal was to give students a different outlook...
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Parenting Tips from Grandma Jo
My Grandma Jo has quickly become a memorable figure from my live school assembly. She loves, she dishes wisdom, and (most of all) Grandma don't play! In this special interview Grandma talks about what it was like to watch her grandson face bullying at school. Her...
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Schools Flip the Script on Anti-Bullying Messages
Educators in Arkansas are using new language to address the issue of bullying. Often anti-bullying messages deter negative behavior, aiming at stopping bullies and encouraging victims to report all incidents. Many educators are looking to add some positivity to the...
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Montana School District Hosts Community Forum on Mental Health
Community members filled the Dawson County High School Auditorium in Glendive, Montana on January 2nd. The "Stronger Together Community Forum" was created to address growing mental health concerns. It is expected to be the first in a series of discussions to help...
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Schools Pay Students for Bullying Reports
Schools Offer Cash Rewards for Reports of BullyingSome are calling it "Snitches for Hire". Schools are now offering cash rewards to students who report acts of bullying. This movement is coming after legislation makes bullying a criminal offense. Repeated acts of...
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Host a Speaker or School Assembly for Red Ribbon Week
Students say "no" to drugs, alcohol, and violence Red Ribbon Week 2018 will take place October 23-31 at schools across the country. Donning a red ribbon, many students will pledge to live drug free, as part of on-campus activities. Sponsored by the National Family...
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Bullying Prevention Expert Speaks to Middle School Students
Recently the "Love Changes It All Tour" visited middle schools in Henry County, Virginia. As part of the school's Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) program, they invited me to train their middle school students and staff with skills to stop social...
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Broken Wings, ArtPrize Piece Sheds Light on Bullying, School Shootings
For ten years, artist Pamela Alderman has entered ArtPrize, the largest international art competition, based in Grand Rapids, MI. This year, Alderman is using butterflies to foster healing discussions around the topics of bullying and school shootings in her piece...
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Back to School Bullying
There are many things to do before the first school bell rings. Across the nation, students, parents, and teachers are preparing to head back to school once again. One of the most concerning issues at this time of year is shared among students and their parents -...
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What Do I Do If My Kid is a Bully?
Dealing with bullying is never fun. While most parents fear that their kid will be the victim of bullying, some find out that their child's negative behavior has found them labeled as the school "bully". If you get this news, as a parent, you may find yourself...
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Curriculum Helps Schools Change Campus Culture in 15 Minutes a Week
Schools across the country are looking for creative ways to tackle issues like bullying, fighting, and general "unkind" behaviors. With concerns over teen anxiety and school safety at an all time high, educators want to make drastic changes to ensure that the...
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Secrets to a Rocking Professional Development Training
How to create empowering learning experiences As kids will soon be heading back to school, administrators are busy planning for the upcoming year and that means putting together staff in-service trainings. Over the last eight years, I have trained thousands of...
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The Campus Peace-Building Initiative: Helping Shape School Culture
Across America, schools are seeking solutions for how to deal with the growing problem of aggression on campus. From bullying to more violent acts like school shootings, the need for training programs, policies, and procedures couldn't be more prevelant. While some...
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How Do I Make My Kids Behave in Public
I was recently traumatized while out to eat with some friends as I watched a small child torment her parents. In minutes, I watched a child who was not getting her way turn a small fit into a full-on a chase around the entire restaurant, including a parent in hot...
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13 Reasons Why: What Happens in Season 2? What Parents and Educators Need to Know
Netflix Makes Changes to Controversial Hit Show Season 2 of 13 Reasons Why hit Netflix today with 13 new episodes. Continuing where Season 1 left off, we find out that there's still much to learn about the life and death of Hannah Baker. As the show says "Just...
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Balancing Indoor and Outdoor Time
As much as kids and parents may buck the schedule, there's no doubt that establishing some structure during your week, can ease everyone's anxiety and give you things to look forward to. One thing that's important to put on the calendar is outside time. Recently I...
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Cultivating Your Child’s Passion
Every kid has dreams, talents, and passions. One of the greatest opportunities as a parent is the ability to cheer your child on and help the grow to accomplish their goals. Listening to "The Warning" from Monterrey, Mexico makes me wonder what involvement their...
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Students Use Reporting Hotline to Bully Peers
A hotline designed to make schools safe is now being used by students to bully others. Now, lawmakers and school officials are scrambling in an effort to address false reports made through Safe2Tell. The hotline was created after the Columbine shooting so that...
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