Tease? No, Please: A Book That Teaches Kids to Just Say NO to Teasing and Bullying is beautifully written and addresses a subject that is not discussed enough at a young age. What was the inspiration for writing this children’s book?

The inspiration for writing this book stems from my passion to reduce teasing/bullying and the emotional impact it has on our children. Schools and schoolyards are meant to be a safe place for children to make friends, learn new things, and have fun. However, for some children, it can become a place of dread and anxiety due to teasing and bullying. The effects of bullying can have lasting psychological and emotional impacts on children, leading to school avoidance, depression, anxiety, and even suicide. All of us have been hurt by words and they may still hurt and haunt us even as adults because they have been conceived in our heart, establishing limitations in our lives. Teasing occurs more often in elementary school, intensifies in middle school, and slowly declines in high school. If we can tackle teasing at the outset during the impressionable ages of 5 or more, we can reduce the occurrences of teasing before it becomes a bigger problem. 

What is one thing that you hope young readers take away from your book?

I hope young readers understand the harmful effects of teasing to guide their decision making, particularly the decision to not tease or make fun of others. My objective is for children to grow in empathy, kindness, and compassion.

How do you envision teachers and parents using your book to help children learn about and prevent bullying?

I envision teachers and parents using the book, Tease? No, Please!, to kickstart heart-to-heart conversations around the issue of teasing and bullying. There are many things that we try to explain to children but oftentimes don’t know how to convey in a way that will resonate with young minds.  The book will help children to easily understand teasing and bullying from all perspectives – the target (victim), the teaser or bully, and the bystander. The book includes interactive activities that support the topic. Lesson plans are also available for teachers.

Is this the first book in the series for children on learning healthy mindsets? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?

This is the first book of the series. The next book will be released in Spring 2024 and is centered around self-confidence. The protagonist (Molly) is faced with a new challenge at school. Stay tuned.

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