to compensate for their own hopelessness

Posted on: 09/3/19 5:07 PM | by Jonathan McKee

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In the shadow of yet another shooting this year, I’ve been reflecting on my research not only about bullied kids or even school shooters…but young people in general.

Looking for meaning, purpose…belonging.

I read the following quote this week in the book, Mindhunter, by John Douglas, the FBI legend who first coined the term “serial killer” and birthed the “behavioral science” unit at the FBI:  (emphasis mine)

“Whether we’re talking about a mail bomber like Ted Kaczynski, Charles Whitman, or any number of school shooters, or the raft of religious terrorists have come to plague much of the world, we’re exploring similar psyches. These are people who take up mass violence as a Continue reading “to compensate for their own hopelessness”

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on Canadian TV talking about bullying

Posted on: 11/21/18 1:56 PM | by Jonathan McKee

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Last week Canadian TV show 100 Huntley Street aired a series of interviews with me about bullying, and how parents, teachers and youth workers can actually prevent it.

Here’s the two part interview…

PART I:

PART II: Continue reading “on Canadian TV talking about bullying”

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Focus Interviews Me about Bullying

Posted on: 10/29/18 1:50 PM | by Jonathan McKee

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This Thursday and Friday Focus on the Family will be airing a two-day radio show where they interview me about how parents and teachings can prevent bullying.

Here’s just a quick snippet:

Here’s Continue reading “Focus Interviews Me about Bullying”

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View from the Edge

Posted on: 10/16/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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Some of you might have caught the exclusive excerpt of my new book I posted on our parents site last week. The following is ANOTHER excerpt from the first chapter of my brand new book, The Bullying Breakthrough, releasing this month…  the first book where I finally tell my story…

Chapter 1: View from the Edge

“Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

We’ve all heard it. We all had teachers who reiterated it. “…word will never hurt me.”

Complete foolishness.

Nothing could be further from the truth. I probably don’t even need to give you thirteen reasons why Continue reading “View from the Edge”

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Talking with teens about how they treat others

Posted on: 09/11/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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The same group of young people watches a boy get pushed around by a bully in gym class almost every day…

and they do nothing.

They merely “stand by.”

Some chuckle, some shake their heads. But no one does anything.

Are “bystanders” any better than the bully?

Ask the kid who is being harassed every day. Continue reading “Talking with teens about how they treat others”

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Helping Bullied, Bullies AND Bystanders

Posted on: 06/28/18 3:23 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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Today I’m working on a brand new workshop for parents, teachers and youth workers helping kids experiencing bullying.

Notice I didn’t say “helping kids who are bullied.” This is where my training will immediately differ from others. I’m not just advocating help for kids who have been picked on, but help for the bullied, bullies and bystanders. After hundreds of interviews and 100+ hours of research for my upcoming book The Bullying Breakthrough… I found that most kids fall into one of three categories Continue reading “Helping Bullied, Bullies AND Bystanders”

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7 Facts Undercover Adults Discovered about Teenagers Today

Posted on: 03/5/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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I love it when research discovers something we’ve been telling parents for years. And for the last few weeks A& E show Undercover High has been revealing an eye-opening peek to many parents about the reality of what’s truly going on in the lives of the high school just down the street from you (and one of these “uncover adults” is a youth pastor).

The show unveiled quite a few realities about teen culture- seven, in fact.

1. The biggest surprise for these undercover adults was how much social media and smartphones had changed high school culture completely… and for some of these young adults, high school was only 5 years ago Continue reading “7 Facts Undercover Adults Discovered about Teenagers Today”

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I regret not saying anything

Posted on: 02/20/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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“This kid gets bullied a lot.”

I’m wrapping up my book to parents about bullying, and in the last few months it’s been literally insane how many times I’ve turned on the news to see exactly what I’m writing about played out on the screen… last week again with the shooting in Florida.

No, I’m not one of those guys who is putting full blame on “bullying” here. There were a lot of factors contributing to this tragedy… but again… one of the big ones was an ostracized kid ignored by bystanders every day.

Like the 17-year-old who admitted as much to the Miami Herald just a few days ago Continue reading “I regret not saying anything”

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voices unheard

Posted on: 01/18/18 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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An overweight boy called “lard-ass” daily.

A girl physically assaulted because she liked the wrong guy.

A crowd of kids taunting a kid with a prominent red birthmark on his face, “Hey Kool-Aid!”

An overweight girl named Carla heartlessly labeled Cowla, trying to simply navigate around campus without being mooed at day after day.

These are just some of the voices I’ve been hearing… and the common denominator I keep finding Continue reading “voices unheard”

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Do you have mean girls or mean boys?

Posted on: 11/29/17 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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Every school has them, every church wishes they didn’t… mean girls, mean boys, using mean words to make themselves feel better. Sadly, there are a handful of young people who become perfect targets for these words… and I want to hear from them! I want to hear the voice of the bullied.

Can you introduce me to them?

I’m writing a book to parents about bullying… and how to help your kids who are bullied, bullies and even bystanders. I want to hear from as many young people as possible on this issue, asking them questions like Continue reading “Do you have mean girls or mean boys?”

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