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Our Children Deserve Better

Posted: September 3, 2019

By George Siegal, Filmmaker and Parent

As we begin another school year, I’m sending my children off to school and asking them to make sure they are nice to other kids. I tell them that if they see a child on the playground with nobody to play with, go talk to them, invite them to join their group. If a child is sitting alone at lunch, go sit next to them. If you see a student being teased or picked on, tell a teacher or step in and stop it. My wife and I try to encourage this at home and in our community. However, learning these types of skills in a classroom has a completely different impact on young people.

School can be a scary, lonely place, and we just send our kids off hoping they can navigate this. At our elementary school, I’ve heard many stories about bullying that takes place, and one child actually transferred because of it. When we were growing up we were pretty much on our own. But times have changed, and we know that is no longer good enough.

Our children deserve better and there’s a life skills curriculum that can help get them there, and it doesn’t cost a penny. Overcoming Obstacles has lessons and activities educators can download and tailor for their students—lessons on bullying, communication, and decision making. A teacher can be one of the most important influences on youngsters, and now they have extra tools that will help make their job more rewarding. What’s more, there are companion lessons that can be taught at home that are available in English and Spanish.

As parents, we need to serve as role models at home, while trained educators need to teach these important skills to our children in school. If we can find ways to make our kids nicer to each other and create a better environment for learning, the school day and the school year will be so much better. The year flies by, but with a little help we will have a much smoother flight.


You can download the entire Overcoming Obstacles curriculum, including all of the lessons and activities, by logging in to your account. If you don’t yet have one, registering is fast, easy, and free—now and forever! Click here to get started. And if you think other educators would find Overcoming Obstacles’ lessons beneficial for their students, please share this blog with them.