American Girls Doll of the Year Chrissa
Limited Edition Dolls Instruct about Problem of Bullies in School
Jan 6, 2009
American Girl has premiered its new “Girl of the Year,” named Chrissa. Every year, American Girl features a limited edition doll, called “Girl of the Year.” These limited edition Girls, along with their DVD, stories, clothes and friends are available for just one year.
Girls of the Year come with stories and life lessons that can be used to educate young girls about difficulties they often encounter in life. Chrissa is a girl who encounters bullies in her new school.
Stand Up to Bullies
Chrissa is a girl who has just transferred into a new school in Minnesota. Like many young girls, she has problems with schoolmates who are bullies. A movie about Chrissa and her story is available by DVD. Chrissa and American Girl Dolls are available for sale on the American Girl website and at its retail stores.
American Girls offers encouragement to real girls to stay positive at home and take care of themselves by partaking in feel-good crafts, writing in a journal and expressing themselves.
In addition to selling dolls, the American Girl offers educational resources to help girls to stand up to bullies, a common problem in schools.
Parents and Teachers
The American Girl website has a section for parents and teacher with advice on counseling girls about bullies. The expert advice is a guideline for sitting down together to explore empowering activities for girls.
Bystanding is a new buzzword for speaking out against bullies in schools across America. Research shows that when children speak up against bullying it stops more frequently than when they stay quiet. The section covers topics that parents can talk about with their daughters, including; knowing when to tell, the difference between reporting cruel behavior and tattling, standing up and speaking out, modeling kind behavior, being a good bystander and working of rules of kindness between siblings.
The section for parents and teachers is written by Patti Kelley Criswell, who is the author of several American Girl books, including Stand Up for Yourself and Your Friends [American Girl Publishing, 2008] and A Smart Girls Guide to Friendship Troubles [American Girl Publishing, 2003].
The Pledge to Take a Stand
There is a map on the website with a pledge for girls to take a vow to stand up against a bullies that can be passed on. The pledge is as follows:
Stand up to put-downs
Help those who are being bullied,
Inform adults when I need to,
Never use my computer or cell phone to hurt others,
Encourage my friends to stand up against bullying, too.
I promise to stand strong, speak out, and be a good friend.
I will let my inner star SHINE!
American Girls Dolls as Role Models
Chrissa, by American Girls, is a role model for school girls who are victims of bullies, or who witness bullying of others. The dolls are more than toys, they are role models who can help to educate real life girls about real life situations.
American Girl Dolls Portray Historic Eras
Girls More Likely to Remain Victims of Bullies
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