How To Protect Your Child From Cyberbullying
By Lillian Brooks
(Photo via Pixabay)
The growth of cyberbullying threatens the mental health and overall well-being of our children. With the widespread use of technology, bullying is no longer confined to in-person interactions on the playground or in the classroom. Any child could be targeted, so it’s important for you to give your child the tools to combat cyberbullying.
Parents often feel helpless when trying to protect their child from cyberbullying, but they shouldn’t. While children must learn to speak for and defend themselves, because bullying is so dangerous, it’s important for parents to step in.
Identifying a Victim of Cyberbullying
Whether a child has a stutter, was born with red hair, or simply caught the eye of the resident bully, the constant teasing and ridicule can be rough on your child. Spotting the effects of bullying in a child is imperative for any parent.
Because children who are bullied tend to hide it, spotting a change in your child can be difficult. Many parents want to believe their child is healthy, so ignoring warning signs of bullying can be a common reaction. For parents, it’s important to take any warning signs seriously.
You should know what to look for. If your child seems nervous around their device, upset after going online, or uneasy about going to school, Net Nanny explains these could all be signs that they are being bullied by someone online. As things get worse, they might become depressed and withdrawn. They could lose interest in hobbies they once loved, and might even have trouble eating.
Once you have determined that your child could be the victim of cyberbullying, dealing with the issue without infringing on your child’s independence is the next step.
Combating Cyberbullying in the Home
Parents do have the authority to monitor their kids’ online activity, and the prevalence of social media makes this all the more important; however, you should consider whether this is a step you want to take. Often, social media is the epicenter of cyberbullying, and adding the child as a ‘friend’ with their knowledge is one way to monitor any cyberbullying on the public forum. If your teenager is using an online dating app, you’ll also need to talk to them about how to stay safe when trying to meet new people.
Once cyberbullying is identified, the U.S. government recommends reporting the details of the problem to relevant authorities. Don’t respond to the cyberbullies, but keep evidence of it. Save screenshots and record the times of cyberbullying instances. You should also block the cyberbully to prevent further bullying.
Learn everything you can about how kids communicate online and how they can protect themselves. A site like Tech Pro Daily can keep you attuned to the latest in technology trends and gear.
Creating a Healthy Home
A healthy home is important for a child’s well-being and sense of self. Without this, a child will be even more susceptible to the dangerous effects of bullying. Providing a safe atmosphere at home will also give your child a place of solace, where they can relax without the fear of being persecuted.
Health Magazine suggests keeping the house as stress free as possible with consistent family meals. You should also schedule family time together, whether that means watching a movie or playing Monopoly.
Being the ‘cool parents’ can help attract other kids to the home and help your child foster even stronger bonds while weeding out bad influences. If your child has more friends, this decreases the likelihood of bullying. Encourage your kids to get involved in dance, sports and other healthy programs like STEM and yoga. Kids get a chance to connect with like-minded youth, it boosts their self-esteem, they learn healthy coping skills, and they can enjoy a positive outlet.
With social media as a new form of communication, its role as a conduit for bullying is to be expected. However, as with physical bullying, victims should not accept their role as their tormentor's target, and neither should a victim’s parents. By keeping an eye on your child’s behavior and providing a loving, stable home, the effects of cyberbullying can be effectively mitigated and eventually stamped out.
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Our guest blogger, Lillian Brooks, is the founder of learningdisabilities.info. For years, Lillian worked as a special education teacher with a focus on teaching children with learning disabilities. She created learningdisabilities.info to offer information and understanding to parents of children with learning disabilities, as well as adults who are in need of continued support in order to succeed.
