see i have this friend and she is pretty cool. then she went and wrote a book for kids about bullying and that makes her a rockstar.

sorry for the long title but when i tried to think up alternatives nothing said it better.
because it's all true.

three and half years ago we moved to this little french town, {which i know i have told you multiple times already....} and after three weeks of unpacking tony declared a day off and we all trecked down to our local cinema and saw shreck 4 together as a family. {they still had the english version for a couple more weeks! happy about this.} anyways after the movie was over the kids wanted to play in the dreaded "kid zone" - not like going to the movies with a family of four isn't expensive enough!! - so we let them and we lingered. all of  sudden tony looked at me and said, "hey those two women are talking english...go and talk to them." so i did.
that's how i met vicki.

she was so nice to me, answered all my questions, took my email to really get me some good neighbourhood info, hooked us up with a local softball team, recommended which school we should send aydan too AND invited us to her daughter's birthday party the following weekend. i did everything in my power not to shatter into a pool of tears and gratefulness right then and there.

fast forward three years and a lasting friendship and we have right now. cause now is the time to celebrate - she wrote a book and it's in print. Dear Bully of Mine.

and you know what: it's a really great book!! it's awesome!!

she wrote a book about bullying in time when we all have to stand up and shout at the top of our lungs enough is enough.
we all have to rally together and say you are good enough.
you are great.
you are fantastic.
be who you are.
you are loved.

we need to stop saying boys will be boys, they are just being teenagers, no harm done. well harm is being done. kids are hurting themselves over this.
we are not raising kids here, people - we are raising adults. is this who you want them to be?

want to know my most favorite thing about this book? besides the fact that she asked me to take that picture up there of her for the cover!! - is that my daughter loves it. she is at that critical age where things are starting to matter, cliques are being formed and actions might be starting to hurt. i want her to take these words from these pages and use them in her life. words that will help her to know that she does have self worth and so does that other girl across the hall.
treat others as you want to be treated.

we talk about this a lot in our house. difference. how someone might be different that you - in looks, behaviour, style - and that's okay because - to quote cooper, which brought a lump to my throat - "we are all people, right mom?"

right, honey.


get this book.
read this book WITH your kids.
discuss this book.
celebrate this book.


Dear Bully of Mine can be found through the Domnizelles Publications, through Amazon.ca for kindle or Amazon.com as well. also check your local stores!

photo of vicki courtesy of me.
photo of book courtesy of domnizelles publications.