Dr. Elana Ashley Discusses New Book Focused on Bullying

By: Crescencia CeCe Faz

Cronkite Special to AZLatinos.com

“Case Two: Big Bully Holly Howler” is the newest book written by Dr. Elana Ashley, who is an author, as well as an artist, storyteller, educator and ventriloquist.

Throughout her many careers, she’s had the opportunity to mentor teachers, parents and students about some of the most important topics for children including child and drug abuse, character development, self-esteem and conflict management.

Available in both English and Spanish, “Case Two: Big Bully Holly Howler” zones into the topic of bullying, and how no child should be alone in the case of a bully. “Bullying has been an issue since the earliest of times, but what has changed in more recent years is man’s openness in talking about such abusive events that are, in fact, happening in the lives of children every day,” Ashley said.

In her book, Ashley hopes to show readers that bullying can happen anywhere, and being bullied does not mean being alone. “With the growing ways of communicating – through newspapers, magazines, radio, television, film, video, more recently through the internet, cell phones and other electronic devices, varying forms of bullying are talked about on a daily basis throughout the world,” Ashley said.

She pointed out that bullying could happen to anyone. “Taking place not only with students in schools and colleges, but also with families in homes, people in parks and on the streets of communities, people in clubs and in the business workplace, no place in society is immune from bullying issues.”

With the number of bully incidents increasing every year, Ashley turned to writing to help others. “People need sources to turn to for help in dealing with bullying situations, and my focus turned especially toward young children in this book,” she said.

Ashley knows that having a well-rounded support system of trustworthy adults is important. “If the mother and father are not providing the loving and safe environment that children need, youngsters need to know there are other people they can reach out to; but it has to be someone who is trustworthy, someone able to be counted on for help, support and direction,” she said.

It’s best for parents to note the behavior of their child if suspicion of bullying arises. “Warning signs include changes in your child’s personality and in the ways they communicate and behave with others – crying, expressing sadness, anger, moodiness, nervousness, trouble sleeping, excessive eating or the opposite, head or stomach aches, faking illness to avoid school, physical bruising, a decline in school performance, refusing to participate in sports, clubs and activities, a usually active child is now much quieter at school and home, the child changing normal pathways to school or purposefully trying to miss the school bus, the child no longer has friends and seems to be isolated from most people,” Ashley noted.

If parents suspect their child id being bullied, or is bullying others, talking it out with them is always the best option to find solutions together.

To learn more about Dr. Elana Ashley, please visit her official website here