Disagreements between teenagers and their parents on matters of music have been going on so long, they're more or less an American tradition. Good thing Lady Gaga doesn't stand on tradition. Because the singer's new Born This Way Foundation is meant to bring parents and teenagers together to fight one of the most damaging scourges of our times: bullying.
And if you don't think Born This Way has anything to do with how you are parenting your kid, prepare to be wrong. This is about kids like Gaga -- who was bullied back in the days when she was just plain old Stefani Germanotta -- but it's also about the kids who bully. This is the way they're roping in every kid in America, the kids in school who walk that fine line in the middle. They're not bullies, they're not bullied, but they need to be part of this fight too.
So how can one singer (and her mom) make this all happen?
It's surprisingly simple. Born This Way isn't just looking to fight bullying. They're looking to create a community of kids who are proud to be who they are, proud to have been "Born This Way," proud enough to actually fight the good fight and not just walk in the middle. Step back and look at it logically: if everyone is fighting against bullying, there is no one left to be the bullies.
So how do you make it work in your house? They've made it pretty easy:
1.Sign them up to get the Gaga news sent straight to their email addresses. No need to be all preachy when their favorite singer will do it for you.
2. Get your artist in on the Born This Way Foundation poster contest. Judged by Gaga and her mom, Cynthia, the deadline is March 23, so you have to get them in fast, but they can inspire bravery in their peers. And there's no power boost like knowing you're the one who's making a difference.
3. Follow the happenings at the Born Brave Advocacy Boot Camp -- kids their own age fighting the good fight in California. The Tumblr speaks to them in their own language, that of their fellow kids.
4. Take them to visit the Born Brave Bus, which will be traveling the country and giving kids a place to learn about civic engagement. Live updates of location will be available on Twitter at #BTWLive.
5. Get yourself involved. Sign up, post on your Facebook wall, put your own story of being bullied on their site. Remind your kids that they are NOT ALONE. Showing them Gaga's story can't hurt either:
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How have you talked to your kids about bullying? What's been the real key to getting in that teenage brain?
Image via MTV