The internet has brought a lot of convenience to our lives. But along with it, the internet has also brought its fair share of trouble. Cyberbullying is one such evil that has been around for a while but grows day by day.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System report, approximately 15% of students have experienced cyberbullying in the previous year. From name-calling and rumor spreading to embarrassing sexual comments — and sometimes these taunts come from other students at school.
As a parent, this is something you need to know about. That’s why we listed down four ways that you can protect your kids from cyberbullies.
Keep the lines of communication open
To start the conversation about cyberbullying, ask your child about what happens at school, who their friends are, and what they do online. Get them talking about their experiences so that you can be aware of potential problems. It’s important that kids feel comfortable coming to you if they’re being bullied or harassed online.
They also need to understand that they may not always trust people online, even if they think they’re a friend.
Teach your child how to spot a cyberbully
Having a conversation with your child about bullying helps them understand what behavior is acceptable and unacceptable online. Also, Kids should learn from an early age how to respond if they see someone else being bullied or if they are the target of bullying themselves.
Don’t be a stranger to your child’s online life
While it’s important for kids to have a safe space online, parents must know what they’re doing and who they’re interacting with, so they can lookout for signs of cyberbullying or other risky behaviors.
This doesn’t mean that you should be reading every text message or checking their Facebook page every time they log off. Instead, you should make your expectations clear from the start by setting guidelines for acceptable behavior and consequences early on.
Also, we suggest setting up some restrictions on your child’s devices that limit the content they can access or download. These controls are built into most mobile phones and tablets, but you can also install additional parental control software if needed.
Set a good example by being kind online
Kids learn from their parent’s behavior. If you regularly post negative comments about other people on social media or elsewhere, your kids may see this as acceptable behavior. Remember that even if you don’t know someone personally, there’s still a person behind the screen.
Show your child that you are kind to others and don’t let anyone (including your kids) talk down to you or try to provoke an angry response.