Bullying and Teen Suicide Prevention

There's a fine line between raising an aggressive child or a passive child. They are both at risk of increased use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. They both might experience difficulty making and maintaining friendships. They both have emotional and possibly psychological issues, and they both often deal from a base of fear. More importantly, both the passive child and the aggressive child can be defined or redefined.

According to parents who have successfully raised assertive children, it takes consistant perameters and hard work. By using a combination of nature and nurturing techniques, one can help foster the child's empathetic, compassionate and aggressive traits to one of assertiveness.

The basic steps for raising an assertive child are:

1) Be attentive-Listen to them and let them show you the world

2) Suggest, don't demand. Demanding is a combative division

3) Guide- run interference while encouraging them to say how they feel, what they want, why they want it, with respect and in a civil manner

4) Allow them to make mistakes or lose, but encourage and support them in their efforts

A parent plays an important role in raising an assertive and successful child. It is much like working in a fruit garden. They produce the seed, nurture the embryonic seeds, water them regularly, and do whatever is needed to help the saplings grow tall and straight, until they come to fuition. There's nothing magical about it, but it does call for vigilance and gentle correction as needed. Unfortunately. Like in the garden, you still might find yourself having to deal with a vine or two. Remember though, even vines can be trained. It just takes more work.