Bullying stops here: Expert advice for parents and educators 

As Anti-Bullying Month kicks off, experts are calling on parents and educators to take a proactive role in preventing bullying before it starts. From fostering empathy to creating safe spaces for open dialogue, autism specialist Dr. Breanne Hartley and veteran educator Mario Brown share crucial strategies to protect vulnerable students and promote a culture of kindness in schools.& Bullying is extending beyond physical and is more centered around social media, educator Mario Brown says. (Photo/Getty Images) How can parents know if their child is being bullied?& The first step in knowing if your child is the victim of bullying is to know their typical behavior, Hartley said. Understanding their baseline can help parents and adults around them learn if there is an issue.& “When a child who typically is smiling and sharing starts to stop smiling and stop sharing, those things can definitely be a sign (of bullying),” Hartley said. “When a child who doesn’t usually pick on other children starts picking on others, that could be a sign.”& As chief medical officer of UNIFI Autism Care, Hartley said parents of children on the spectrum should be on the lookout for bullying at school because they differ from their peers.&...