A bad hair day and a grandmother's wisdom turns into a lesson we can all remember.

Simon’s Hook is a story about a boy named Simon who is teased because he is having a “bad hair day”. It gives children dozens of examples of how to empower themselves and not become a victim of hurtful behavior from others.

Main message: This book empowers students by giving them five specific strategies to use when dealing with teasing.

Ask your child to share with you what these phrases mean:

• “Hooks”
• “Don’t take the bait.”
• “Swim free!”
• “Be a Free Fish!”

In the book, Simon receives good advice from Grandma Rose. Simon learns specific techniques to avoid being victimized by teasing behaviors. Grandma Roses’ 5 strategies to keep him from “taking the bait” from several neighborhood bullies are:

1. Do little or nothing! Don’t react!

2. Pretend to agree with the “hook.”

3. Distract! Change the subject

4. Laugh at the “hook”! Make a joke of it.

5. Stay away/Walk Away

Ask your child if he/she remembers the hand gestures that go with these 5 strategies. They can use these gestures to remind and encourage a teasing victim to use one of these strategies. Each of these strategies gives our students another important skill in protecting themselves from being hurt. Using these techniques will help our kids swim free! Let’s support and encourage our children to continue using the language from this book all year.

About Project Cornerstone

There are 41 Asset Building Characteristics which have been identified to be cornerstones in making children feel safe and that they belong. Project Cornerstone has found that the more of these characteristics which a child develops and feels good about, the less they are influenced or will participate in at-risk behavior. For more information on Project Cornerstone or Asset Building Characteristics please visit www.projectcornerstone.org.