|
CYBERBULLYING
Parents
HOW TO PREVENT CYBER BULLYING Do:
- Keep your computer in an open area in the house.
- Help your child develop self-confidence, self-respect, and resilience.
Teach your child:
- Private information such as a password, PIN number, name, address, phone number, school name, or family and friends’ names must not be shared.
- Angry messages should not be sent to anyone.
- Online conversations are not private.
- Responding to abusive or mean messages or postings on the Internet is not appropriate.
Symptoms of Cyberbullying:
- Unwilling to go to school
- Feeling ill in the mornings
- Doing poorly in school work
- Suddenly disinterested in the computer
- Becoming withdrawn, distressed, anxious, or lacking confidence
- Coming home unusually hungry or not eating
- Missing personal possessions
- Begging you for a ride to school
- Becoming aggressive and beginning to bully other children or siblings
What if my child is a victim?
- Ask your child directly. Share your concern for your child’s safety.
- Listen and find out exactly what has been happening online.
- Keep everything! Do not delete emails or chat logs. Save and print them.
- Ignore or if you must reply, send a non-emotional, assertive message to the cyber bully.
- File a complaint with the cyber bully’s email Internet Service Provider, web site host, or cell phone company.
- Seek support from Monroe staff.
Warning signs your child might be a bully:
- Refrains from sharing online activities with you
- Teases, threatens, or physically harms other children
- Is hot tempered, impulsive, and has a hard time following rules
- Shows aggressive behavior toward adults
- Shows no empathy towards children who are bullied
- Has been involved in antisocial activities such as stealing or vandalism
What if my child is a bully?
- Ask exactly what your child has been doing online without becoming angry or defensive.
- Reassure your child that you still love him/her even though you don’t agree with the behavior. Talk about the value of kindness and respect.
- Find out if there is something troubling your child and help to sort it out.
- Explore ways for your child to make amends for his/her bullying behavior.
- Inform Monroe staff of your child’s effort to change the behavior.
Source: Bully-Free Bucks Today www.bullyfreebuckstoday.org
|
