HELOISE Body language can be telltale sign of bullying

Dear Heloise: I enjoyed our interview on your radio show about bullying. Since this is a national epidemic, I wanted to recap some of the tips for your readers. One way that parents can tell if their children are being bullied is to observe the following:
UWhen they come home from school, do they rush to use the bathroom?
UAre they overly hungry?
UDo their belongings keep disappearing?
UIs their clothing torn more than usual?
These are signs that the school bathrooms might not be a safe place to go; someone might be taking their lunch, money or belongings.
Parents might need to become involved, and there are numerous ways to do this. Hold the school personnel responsible for what action will be taken and by when; this needs to be in writing. We encourage parents to look at their children's body language. Do they look like a victim, or do they carry themselves with their head up and shoulders back? We want parents to teach their children to use humor to deflect conflicts.
The bullying situation can be solved, and we want parents to look at all pieces of the puzzle, including their home. Some of the issues at home to discuss include:
UAre parents spanking or yelling?
UIs there a lot of fighting with older siblings?
UAre parents overly protective, setting limits and boundaries?
UAre they available for the child?
Kids now bully through the Internet, e-mail, text messaging and instant messaging. Cyberbullying or wireless bullying is now faceless; kids who would never bully face to face hide behind technology and torment others. Some solutions include having the computer placed in a room other than the child's bedroom and always having the back of the computer against the wall so parents can see the screen.
Parents also should discuss this topic with their child before it happens. It is important that children feel comfortable reporting any incidents to their parents. Derek Randel, via e-mail
Derek, it was a treat to have you as a guest on my radio show, and I was stunned to learn how bad this can be. All of the signs you mentioned could be clues that a child is being bullied. Folks, visit the Web site www.stoppingschoolviolence.com for more information. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Containers in which plants are sold for weddings, funerals, etc., are lined with plastic, usually in the form of a plastic bag, to keep water from dripping on floors, cars, etc.
The problem with this is that water remains trapped around the roots, and the plant dies. Plastic liners should be removed before you place the pot in a saucer. Jeff, Beaumont, Texas
Dear Heloise: While shopping for a dressing seat for my bathroom, I found a stool with a round seat at a discount store. I covered it with two pieces of 1-inch foam, then with a piece of fabric matching the tub drapes.
The bottom of the stool seat was too hard for staples or tacks, so I threaded dental floss on a needle and laced the fabric back and forth under the seat. Frances Munson, Fayetteville, Ark.
King Features Syndicate