How to Reduce the Odds of Your Child Being Harassed by Cyberbullies, Explore ways to stop Cyberbullying for Kids.
Cyberbullying among children and young people is a common problem. In fact, statistics show that over half of all teenagers have been cyber-bullied on one or more occasions. About a third of these young people have not only been bullied but actually threatened over the internet. Sadly, only 10% of cyberbullying victims tell their parents and less than a quarter of all cases are brought to the attention of law enforcement officials.
Thankfully, there are some ways to stop cyberbullying for kids. The tips outlined below will help parents keep their children safe from those who would prey on them online, thus enabling a child to enjoy his or her childhood and get a good education without having to worry about being harassed, bullied and threatened.
Preventing the Problem with Ways to Stop Cyber Bullying for Kids
Taking measures to prevent the problem is much easier than having to deal with a cyber-bullying incident. Some things that parents can do to prevent cyber-bullying include:
– Do careful research before choosing a school and/or high school. Some schools have stronger anti-bullying rules than others; such schools are likely to have fewer bullies than lenient schools and will deal with cyber-bullying in a swift, efficient manner. If you are not able to find a good local school, then consider homeschooling your child or enrolling him or her in an online school.
– Supervise children as they hang out with their friends. Neighbourhood kids and/or classmates who bully a child in person are likely to continue bullying the child online and/or encourage your child to bully others. Do not allow bullies to hang out with your kids.
– Supervise your child’s internet access. Set down rules and boundaries regarding when your child or teenager can get online and what he or she can do while on the internet. If the child breaks the rules, restrict internet access for a pre-determined period of time.
Teaching Children How to Protect Themselves with Ways to Stop Cyberbullying for Kids
Teaching children how to protect themselves is just as important as protecting them yourself. Children and young people who know how to prevent cyber-bullying attacks and/or nip these attacks in the bud will be less likely to suffer from the many negative emotional problems that arise as a result of cyber-bullying. Following are some things you will want to teach your kids about internet usage:
– Never friend anyone you do not know. Do not give your phone number to people you do not know well.
– If a person you do know starts to bully you via social media, unfriend them. If a bully harasses you over the phone, block their phone number or change your phone number and only give the number to people you trust.
– Never taunt, harass, put down or bully others online. The chances are high that they will repay you in kind.
– If a bully teases, belittles or makes fun of you online, ignore him or her. If you give a bully attention, it is almost certain that he or she will continue to bother you.
– Some social media sites and other sites have a button you can click on to report bullying. Doing this can prevent a bully from bothering you and others in the future. Many websites take bullying seriously and will either warn the individual or eliminate his or her account.
It is also very important for you to ensure your child feels comfortable about telling you things that have happened online. If you suspect your teenager is being harassed either over the internet or via mobile phone, ask. If your child tells you that someone is bothering him or her online, take it seriously. You do this by giving your child or teenager full attention while he or she is speaking and then taking matters further by notifying law enforcement officials and/or school officials when warranted.
These ways to stop cyberbullying for kids will help you protect those you love from being harassed, teased, stalked, bullied and/or threatened via the phone or internet. The first step is to take measures to prevent cyber-bullies from gaining access to your children; the second step is to teach your children how to protect themselves. Taking these steps will not guarantee that your child will never be bullied online; however, they will greatly reduce the odds of cyber-bullying and enable you to ensure that bullies do not have continual access to your kids.