Since my character Hannah is also a teenager who has survived being sexually assaulted, I’m sharing her thoughts on Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.
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In honor of World Autism Day, I share some of my own struggles growing up with undiagnosed Aspergers’ Syndrome.
During my last year of high school, it felt like the day when I moved out of my parents’ house and went off to college would never come. I was desperate for escape. I’d lived in the same quiet suburb my entire life. It felt so tiny to me. My world was made up of all the kids I’d gone…
Childhood bullying is one of those things that people think is just part of being a kid, but it really isn’t. Unfortunately, the world isn’t perfect and there will always be kids who feel bad about themselves for whatever reason and take it out on other kids, especially kids who are different in some way. But that doesn’t mean that…
I’ve spoken occasionally to kids who self-injure — that is, who cut themselves, burn themselves or otherwise deliberately hurt themselves. If your child or a young person you know has this kind of issue, it can be really scary. DISCLAIMER: This blog post deals with sensitive issues that may require professional help. All opinions expressed within this post are solely…
The spotlight on bullying in schools has been brighter in recent months, and with good reason. Bullying has been implicated in suicides as well as in violent behavior such as school shootings, and in any case can cause self-esteem issues, which in turn causes kids to act out in various ways. For kids who either identify as or are perceived…
I don’t often write about being transgender. It’s just a fact that that’s part of who I am, but it definitely isn’t all of who I am and I don’t like people to think of me as that transgender guy or that guy who used to be a girl. Sometimes people don’t share that they’re transgender because it’s dangerous for…
