A grassroots movement is already gaining rapid momentum.
‘Love is Louder Cochrane’ was a group created by Jennifer Spackman, after a case of bullying hit her close to home. Realizing that bullying was affecting several other parents, Spackman decided to step up.
“I decided to make this work because I already ran a mom group on Instagram, and I noticed a bunch of moms in town were already dealing with bullying problems with their children. It hit home when my own child was bullied. I had to do something to help.”
With some parents feeling let down from the school side, others noticed there was a definite lack of community resources. Affecting children of all ages, Spackman, wants to create positive experiences for the victim and/or their entire family. “It is a support system of parents that will work together to pool their resources in hopes of making these kids experience brighter days. Kind of like ‘Make a Wish’, but for bullied kids. We want to offer a safe space for families and kids impacted by bullying to know that there are people who care.”
All types of experiences could be offered, says Spackman, either as a business or personal donation. “We want them to think of this as ‘how can we put a smile on your kid’s face’. If that’s Zoo passes or a LEGO set, a day out at BMX, or even an outing at someone’s farm, we will accept all. We already have some moms willing to deliver flowers or take them out on Monster Trucks. It’s all about letting them know they’re loved and cared about — that’s the goal.”
Encouraging parents, caregivers, and youth affected by bullying to speak up, Spackman, says messages will be handled with the utmost sensitivity and confidentiality. “We need more people to stand up and take action. People are encouraged to share their stories through private messaging on social media.”
Want to be involved? Spackman says, if we’re going to see change we need bullies to understand that Love Is Louder in the town of Cochrane. “Join us. Donate your time. Pool your resources. Help us run events. We just want as many people to help as possible. These kids are everything to us.”
If you would like to get hold of the Love is Louder group, you can connect with them on Instagram or Facebook.
I read this article and I find it kind of offensive. Knowing that this person who is crying out for help for her children is really the one who is doing the bullying. Now isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black. Not everyone will be allowed to the event she is holding. Only who ever she decides. I have many friends in my within this community who have been a victim of her bullying on and off social media. Why are we allowing this to happen. Sure you can paint a good story. Anyone can, but why don’t you talk to the people who have been a victim of her direct bullying and harassment maybe then you’ll understand the dramatics of this. I have a friend whom child was a victim to bullying by another parents child. This parent who child condones the bullying is really good friends with spackman. If she really is against it then you’d think she’d not do it herself and not allow it around her. I have a child who attends RVS and has been a victim to bullying. The schools really need to step up. You think elementary is bad, wait til junior high or high school. We say zero tolerance for bullying in schools, then there’s a really grey area and almost nothing is done about it. This is an RVS in a whole problem and should be addressed by them. I feel that spackman is out of line as she allows bullying to happen. She is the one dishing it out. That’s not fair as someone who is going to be an activist against it. You’d think that maybe you wouldn’t allow it ever. I don’t want my child bullied but I also would hate to bullied as an adult by another adult. Not everyone will speak out about her, in fear of her and that’s the problem right here. If we truly want to knock bullying out of the parks then everyone needs to participate and not be discriminated for doing so and everyone needs to stop bullying. I really do believe that if it’s in the schools it needs to be addressed with in the schools. We don’t need 13 reasons why to come into play here. We need to stop it before this point. It takes a village to raise a child, it’s going to take this whole community and then some to help stop the bullying.
Don’t turn anyone away let everyone help. Bullying has been going on for years even in my grandmothers era. Granted it’s come so far but let’s end it with all the help we can get and hopefully spackman allows this and doesn’t bully others.