Aussie Kids asked to Choose Kindness in 2021 With Dolly’s Dream & Smiggle.
Smiggle and Dolly’s Dream are asking Australian kids to choose kindness as they head back to school for 2021.
To help spread the message far and wide, Smiggle has created 100,000 Dolly’s Dream Choose Kindness keyrings that are free for kids to collect from Smiggle stores all over Australia from 1st February.
1 in 4 school-aged children in Australia have been bullied recently
The hope is that sharing this message of choosing kindness reminds all kids to look after their friends and classmates, to be kind and to speak even if their voice shakes. A Choose Kindness keyring hanging from their schoolbag or pencil case will be a tangible reminder throughout the
year.
To support Dolly’s Dream, Smiggle is calling on their thousands of fans around Australia to always choose kindness at school and at home, and to speak to a trusted adult if they see or experience anything that makes them think someone is being bullied.
The Choose Kindness campaign is part of fulfilling the vision of Dolly’s Dream, to bring a cultural change around the issue of bullying – Dolly’s Dream is committed to empowering and educating the community to prevent bullying and cyber bullying.
Only around half (55%) of Australian children who have a negative experience online tell their parents about it.
Dr Charlotte Keating, Psychologist and Advisory Board Member of Dolly’s Dream, said the beginning of the school year is ideal for gently opening up the lines of conversation with your child to encourage trust and confidence.
“With more young people online than ever before, awareness and prevention of bullying has never been as important. No one deserves to be bullied or hurt,” Dr Keating said.
Dolly’s Dream and Smiggle are also encouraging Australian families to take the DigiPledge, an educational and fun online quiz created by Dolly’s Dream that helps families to educate themselves about online safety.
After eight modules, the DigiPledge ends with families signing a pledge to acknowledge they have the skills and knowledge to explore the online world safely and commit to being kind.
It allows for young people to talk about their experiences online with the adults in their lives and creates opportunities for them to open up if they are being hassled or bullied online, starting one of the most important conversations you can have about the importance of choosing kindness.
“The DigiPledge gives you the chance to talk to your kids about their online world. By doing this, they’ll be more comfortable coming to you if they’re being hassled or bullied online. And that’s exactly what you want them to do.” Kate Everett, Dolly’s mum.
Dr Keating also said talking to parents or another trusted adult is one of the best “first steps” for stopping bullying.
“It’s vital that your kids know you will listen calmly and without judgement, and support them. Research shows that young people who perceive their parents as loving and supportive are less likely to cyber bully, for example,” Dr Keating said. 4 “We can teach our children to treat others how they would like to be treated — with kindness and respect.”
Smiggle is also inviting their fans to pop in store or jump online and take the Smiggle Kindness Pledge in January and February.
The Smiggle Kindness Pledge prompts kids to nominate a person they promise to be kind to this year and describe how they will be kind to them. Once completed, fans will receive a Smiggle Kindness certificate.
Why we need to keep talking to kids about choosing kindness:
• 1 in 4 Australian children reported being bullied.
• 1 in 5 children reported being cyber bullied.
• Only around half (55%) of Australian children who have a negative experience online tell their parents about it.
For more information and to take the DigiPledge visit: smiggle.com.au/dollysdream
About Dolly’s Dream
At the beginning of 2018, the country was devastated by the loss of 14-year-old Dolly Everett. Dolly ended her own life after an extended period of bullying and cyber bullying. Established in Dolly’s memory by her parents, Kate and Tick Everett and her sister Meg, Dolly’s Dream acts as a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves and works to prevent other precious lives being lost to bullying.
Dolly’s Dream works to educate parents and communities on the issues of bullying and cyber bullying, its devastating effects and how to deal with it. They want to empower people to be able to recognise bullying when it happens and then be brave enough to stand up and talk about it, to speak even if your voice shakes.