Goddard Games Spread Schools’ Anti-Bullying Message

Ice fishing, snowball throwing, a chili cook-off and a strong anti-bullying message will all play a part in this Saturday’s Goddard Community Games hosted by the .  

Mary Beth Theiss, the owner of the Macomb Goddard School, said this weekend’s open house will mark the first time Goddard Games has been done nationwide.

“It’s to make a big push on communicating that the Goddard philosophy is different than your average child care center,” Theiss said. “We use this method of reflecting and Goddard’s Guide to Getting Along in how we teach the children how to treat their friends.”

While the children play various winter-themed games in the school’s classrooms, parents will have an opportunity to learn about the way Goddard teachers spread the message of anti-bullying among students. 

“We pay attention to the person who was bullied, not the bully,” Theiss said. “We don’t make kids say we’re sorry. We say, ‘How can you make your friend feel better?’ We make the bully an active participant in making the bullied feel better.”

Theiss added because bullies often gain their power from the innocent bystanders who allow them to continue their actions by not speaking up, the Goddard School tries to teach children that it is OK to speak up when they see someone hurting others and that they should report the incident to a teacher or adult.

“We start those lessons now, so when they are in elementary or middle school, they will have the skill set to handle it,” Theiss said. “We’ll be handing out resources to the parents. The goal of talking about bullying with children at this age is to help them develop self-esteem so they won’t be the bully.”

Any parent and child can attend the open house and participate in both the parent talks and classroom activities, which include the ice fishing derby, indoor ice skating, snowball throwing contest and chili cook-off.

The event is free and will be held Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Goddard School on Hayes Road.