Battling the School-yard Bully

-- Has there been an increase in school yard violence, or are we just talking about it more?
-- Who is the bully -- and who is the victim?
-- How to teach your child assertive -- not aggressive -- behavior
-- When should a parent intervene?
-- The newest in conflict management and student mediation: what the school ca do

Kim Zarzour remembers the sick feeling in her stomach every time she entered the doors of her junior high: Jane, Carol and Sue lounged on the steps, waiting to grab Kim's lunch, gleefully pouncing on the home-baked brownie or cookies.

Like many children, Kim never told anyone about this classic bullying ritual. And like many children, the humiliation and pain stayed with her for a long, long time.

Is bullying simply a part of the rough-and-tumble world of growing up? Kim Zarzour, a journalist who specializes in parent-child concerns and a mother herself, tackles one of the hottest issues among parents, teachers -- and kids -- today.

In a friendly, "parent-to-parent" style, Battling the School-Yard Bully addresses the problem from both the bully's and the victim's point of view, offers an overview of how pervasive bullying has become and gives useful tips and reassuring advice on how to deal with the problems of school-yard and away-from-home violence.