Loulou's views

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, but bullying—and cyber-bulling—are problems children face every day, every month. The best way to help children and teens is by raising awareness and helping those who need it most. I wanted to talk about this issue because I have children in grade 3 and grade 6, and although they haven't faced any serious issues, I see that not all children are as kind as they should be when I'm volunteering at the school. I asked Ottawa's Stuntman Stu some questions about this issue, because he and the team at Majic 100 started the No More Bullies campaign—which has received great feedback from schools, the youth, parents, and the community. Although the program is currently on hold, there are ways we can still promote kindness and remind children and teenagers the importance of being kind—to everyone. How did you come up with the No More Bullies campaign? What has the feedback been like so far?   The campaign started by accident....

Pink is my favourite colour. Today, I'm wearing a pink scarf in support of Anti-Bullying Day. Even though many of us are wearing pink today, this one act alone is sadly not going to stop children from being bullied. Thankfully, there is so much more we are doing to stop bullying from taking place in schools, like the #NoMoreBullies campaign and awareness. When I was in grade seven, I was bullied , and it was awful. However, after school, I was able to go home, and cry into my parents arms. I was comfortable telling them everything. I was so lucky I had their love, support, and guidance, to help me through the rough times. It's heartbreaking to me to know that some children who are bullied in school don't have anyone to turn to at home. The other night, I watched one of my all-time favourite movies, again— Dead Poets Society . If you've seen this (surely you have?) you'll know that one of the  main characters takes his own life because of his awful situation a...

I love it when the city I live in does amazing things for the people in our community. This weekend, I'm invited to Billings Bridge Shopping Centre to take part in the Smile Shop. Of course, getting me to smile in a mall is not hard at all, but for this event? I'll be smiling even harder. This Saturday, Billings Bridge is giving away $10,000 in gift cards to people in exchange for a good deed. Marketing Director Greta Bloskie wanted to do something fun that would help inspire people to come to the mall to make a difference in the community at large. The Smile Shop will be making a lot of people smile this weekend, I can assure you of that. Here's how it's going to work: Visit the Smile Shop in Centre Court on Saturday, May 26th, between 11 and 3 and choose a small, medium, or large deed you'd like to do to receive a $10, $25, or $50 Billings Bridge gift card, while quantities last. A $10 deed? Buy your friend a latte. Make breakfast in bed fo...

Thanks to The Bully Project for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website to join the movement and learn more. As a mom, I worry a lot about my children. It seems the worrying doesn't go away, ever. I remember when I was a new mom I thought sleepness nights and constant diaper changes were going to be the hardest part of motherhood. As my children grow, I realize that each stage brings new challenges. My oldest son is in grade one, and he loves school. He has great friends, wonderful teachers, and happily looks forward to school every day. I literally have to drag him home after school, after he's played with friends on the school yard for almost an hour every day. It is wonderful to see his innocence and happiness, and I hope it will always be this good for him, and for my youngest son. I'm sure they'll have rough patches like all children do throughout their childhood and teenage years, but I pray that they never experience being bullied. When I was in midd...