Memorial Day Thanks to Military Families with a Positive Message Against Bullying

Memorial Day Weekend is a time to remember all the servicemen and Veterans who have served our country.  It's also a time to thank their spouses and children who go through their life journey alongside their parents in the military.

What many people don't realize is that military kids and families face unique challenges with regard to bullying.  The fact that they frequently move from place to place means their children have to adjust to new schools, friends and social groups.  For the parents it can be difficult since they don't know the new teachers or school administrators and it may be stressful to broach the subject to them.

The filmmakers of the new family movie, "How to Beat a Bully", are offering a special thanks to servicemen along with their spouses and children. "How to Beat a Bully" was recently shown at a private screening for Veterans and their families at the Veterans Home in West Los Angeles, followed by a discussion with the writers, Marilyn Anderson & Richard Rossner. Veterans and guests in the audience enjoyed a spirited question and answer period, with many meaningful comments.

In line with this, Memorial Day Weekend can be an excellent time for parents and children to spend a couple of hours with a movie that can provide smiles and laughs, yet still promote the idea, "It's better to be friends than bullies." "How to Beat a Bully" does just that.  It's an 83-minute, "Home Alone" kind of comedy with an anti-bullying theme.

The story revolves around a 12-year-old boy who moves to a new town and gets picked on by school bullies. In order to protect himself he uses his brain instead of his fist, and comes up with an idea that not only stops the bullies, but gets them to be his new BFFs. Along the way, there are humorous adventures, in which he gets his dad in trouble with some bad guys, who want to do more than bully him. The kids end up saving his father and becoming town heroes, as well as learning an important lesson about bullying.

So many stories of bullying are sad or distressing, Anderson & Rossner wanted to create one that could be a positive way to share a message on this important topic, and possibly be a gentle way for families to open up a conversation about it.  

"How to Beat a Bully" was awarded the Dove Seal of Recommendation for families, and won "Best Feature Film" at the L-Dub Film Festival. The movie is available on DVD at Walmart stores and can also be rented or purchased through iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.

In addition to the special event for the Veterans and their families, the filmmakers have held private screenings for several school groups and charities throughout the country. Interested organizations can contact M. J. Anderson through their website or facebook page or at howtobeatabully at gmail dot com.