Bullying is never easy to deal with; within our community many parents have been asking some very valid questions and asking for help for their child. In some cases a the child has been relentlessly teased by a peer, in some other more severe cases the child has been the victim of physical abuse at the hands of another student.

Children with autism are particularly susceptible to bullying. Having difficulty understanding social cues and exhibiting unusual behaviors frequently make a child (and an adult!) an easy target for jokes, teasing, and general disparagement. Gone unchecked, this kind of negative activity can have long lasting emotional, psychological and even physical impact. It is the responsibility of each parent to protect and defend the interests of their child, and a legal obligation of the school and its personnel to provide a safe environment where students can learn without fear, and in accordance to that child’s IEP.

The following are some helpful suggestions for parents to use when they find their child with autism the victim of bullying:

1. Document. Keep a log of any bullying that your child might experience with the day, who it was, what happened, who was told – if anyone. Your record of events can be one of your most powerful tools in helping to defend the rights of your child. If there is any physical abuse, take photographs along with your written record.
2. Script. Those with autism can benefit greatly from rehearsing and scripting social interactions, both positive and negative. Sure, you can’t plan for every kind of situation, but it is helpful for parents to create a framework for options and responses for when such situations do occur.
3. Escalate. Parents need not be shy about contacting the child’s teacher when an incident of bullying occurs. There is one woman in our community to tried to approach the teacher and was told there was “nothing she could do about it” – and that the other child was just an aggressive type. A few days thereafter, this woman’s child was physically beaten by the bully and admitted to a hospital, and the woman is suing the school. The school and teacher are legally responsible for the educational health of all students. If you fail to get a satisfactory response, escalate to the principal. Then to the school board. You can also contact your local Americans with Disabilities Act representative and even hire a lawyer to write to your school board to ensure your child’s safety and right to education.

Whether you’re a teacher or administrator within a school system, the following tips should be considered:

1. Don’t blame the ASD. I have heard cases of the victim being blamed for being bullied because of his/her ASD behaviorisms. “Tommy’s teasing you because you’re always moving your hands funny, so just stop that.” This is tantamount to telling an African-American boy he’s being teased because his skin color is darker – so just change it. Ridiculous!
2. Public admonishment can backlash. The axiom, “Praise in public, critique in private” is highly relevant here. A well-intentioned teacher or staff member who calls the bully out onto the floor, showing the whole class the bully is being punished for teasing the kid with ASD can have a backlash effect as it magnifies the conflict in front of peers and can further isolate the child with autism. Better to remove the bully from the class and admonish in private.
3. Document. One of the teacher’s responsibilities is to ensure a healthy learning environment for all students in a classroom. Keeping a written record of bullying behavior, incidents and steps taken is an important document should the matter need to be escalated within the school, for a student’s IEP and informational purposes for parents.
4. Implement a social curriculum. Particularly important for the earlier grades is developing social curriculums in which social cues and responses can be demonstrated and taught and is generally key for autism support. How one can recognize and respond to teasing/bullying, appropriate peer interaction, reacting to stressful situations can all be exposed in a group setting and learned as a group. This helps the NT children as well as those with ASD.

Finally, engage your school representatives in the creation of a plan for dealing with both bullies and victims if one does not yet exist. Having a school-wide plan in place and making the consequences well known across the school is an effective way to broadcast a clear message and set expectations for both students and teachers.

Brian Field is the co-founder of Autism Support Network, a free community providing support for those touched by autism.

You may notice that at certain times of the year, there are more horses in the toy section of your local store. Among these toys are sure to be Breyer Model Horses, the most popular horse toy in the world. Breyer is known for realistic, scale model collectible horses. They also make special editions, and routinely retire several models every year.

Children and adults alike love and collect Breyer horses. Many collectors collect special models such as the popular race horses including Secretariat, Sea Biscuit, and Barbaro. Still other collectors only want certain colors, such as palomino, dapple gray, or chestnut. Some prefer to stick to a single breed. Luckily, Breyer horses come in many breeds, from Quarter Horses and Arabians to Thoroughbreds, draft horses and Shetland ponies. It is getting more common to see the rarer breeds represented as well, such as the Trakehner, the Friesian or the Hanoverian.

The Breyer horses are created in a variety of sizes and scale. The Breyer Traditional Collection is the largest size, and is sculpted in a 1:9 scale. The Classic is done in a 1:12 scale, while the Paddock Pals are a bit smaller, being sculpted in a 1:24 scale. Stablemates used to be the smallest Breyer horses at 1:32 scale, but now the Mini Whinnies are even smaller. All sizes are fully detailed and come in a variety of colors and breeds. Some also are available with accessories.

There are some collectors who actually show their model horses. Shows include Photo Shows and Performance Shows, with some live and some by photo only. With Photo Shows the collector presents their horses decked out for the target class – i.e. western pleasure or English Equitation. Performance classes require the appropriate tack be on the model, and sometimes a rider is also included. Some areas host live shows as well. Exhibitors bring their models to the show to be judged right there and then. Winners receive ribbons and sometimes trophies for their models. Show models are sometimes repainted or even repositioned to make them more unique. Breyer is a favorite to use since they are already so realistic and come in so many different positions.

Whether you decide to show your Breyer model horse or not, collecting them can be great fun. Every year new models are released, and others are retired. Some go up in value quite a bit, especially if they are in good condition.

Of course, children like to play with Breyer horses, too. They can spend hours playing with them, designing pastures, or utilizing the many accessories that are available, such as stables, fences, barn tools and realistic Western and English tack to put on the horses.

No matter what your age, if you love horses, you’ll enjoy Breyer model horses. Whether you collect a hundred or only a few, they are a fun way to enjoy the beauty of horses.

CCTVs or close-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place within limited set of monitors The system works by installing video cameras, which often tilts and pans the room, in strategic places that can give a wide view of the location. These video cameras transmit and record these images to a remote monitor or set of monitors usually observed by security personnel The most common uses for CCTVs are for surveillance and security. Today, CCTV systems are available for a private individual to install for the security of their homes and properties
Here are the five most popular uses of a CCTV camera.
Surveillance of public areas. Public places such as banks, airports, subways, stores and malls, and even in the streets usually have CCTVs observing them Having a cctv systems can provide a sense of peace and safety to the everyday citizen. People are comforted by the knowledge that criminals and terrorists are less likely to commit violent acts when there are cameras around
Surveillance against crimes. Many case studies had proven that the presence of CCTV, whether visible or hidden, reduces crimes against people, as well as incidents of violence. A potential criminal could be deterred from committing a crime as his details can be recorded in cameras and can be used to persecute him later Other than monitoring criminal acts, the surveillance systems are also being used to combat anti-social behaviours which include minor offenses such as littering, urinating in public, drunkenness, traffic violations and other public order offenses.
Security for commercial premises. Many businesses today have CCTVs installed in their establishments, not only to prevent theft and vandalism and to have a 24-hour surveillance capacity, but can also provide video footage to the police in case something did occur. Some businesses have also found other uses for the CCTV besides security purposes, in which they allow their customers to view their services through the use of the internet That way, customers can see their items, and it provides a great personal touch, as well as helps catch any errors before the customer even receives their package.
Home security. These formerly expensive and hard to configure systems are now affordable with more versatility and usefulness than just a few years ago It has become increasingly affordable for private individuals, as they can now install CCTV on their homes and property to provide security to their family and homes. This especially useful if no one would be staying at the house
Traffic maintenance. With cameras watching the roads, it has become easier for many traffic and transport groups to observe the roads. It enables them to spot accidents, obstructions and any other road problems, allowing them to identify the location and fix it right away This would prevent any other traffic problems that could arise if such incidents are not immediately noted.

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