Cyberbullying: Prevention of Cyberbullying (Part ... - Amber Alert GPS

March 28, 2013

Guest Blogger: Louis Kirby, M.D.?

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http://www.drmattmorris.com/smartphones-teen-girls/

Your child has a new cell phone, maybe even a new smartphone. Maybe they have a desktop or laptop computer. They want to be on Facebook, Tumbler and Pinterest. And, naturally, they start becoming secretive about who thy talk to and what they say. Your child is a good kid and you?d never suspect they would ever get into trouble. But what, specifically, have you done to actually prevent them from getting in over their head? Today, we will review some good practices for making cyberbullying less likely or if it does occur, less damaging.

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The ground rule. First, make sure your child knows you?ve got their back and you?ll be there for them no matter what. This is an important baseline. They may not always like what you do, but they?ll always know you are there to help and support them. This can encourage them to open up to you when there is a problem.

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Give them basic instruction. You wouldn?t send your kid out to swim without supervision first, why would it be any different with online safety? You have an opportunity to equip your child with basic skills and limits that will help guide them through.

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Things that seem obvious to you and me may be new or unknown to your child. Let your child know that anything they say online is permanent. Private or confidential messages or photos can and will be forwarded or posted on social media. These are sobering facts that unless explained clearly, may not be fully understood.

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Privacy. Teach them how to set privacy filters on social media. As a starter, let them know they should not accept ?friend? requests from people they do not know. They should never share passwords and never confide any personal information like addresses, phone numbers and or other contact information. Show them how to block unfriendly users and if there is a problem, save the evidence with a screen shot, forwarded text message, email or web page address. In addition, let them know that they should not open emails from unknown senders.

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Be aware. Knowing what your child or teen is doing online serves two purposes. First, you can pick up bullying when or soon after it occurs, plus you are likely to be aware of any technology use changes if they occur (see Tuesday?s post on the warning signs). The second reason is if your child knows you occasionally check up on his or her activities, they are less likely to engage in or suffer from bullying.

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• Know the sites your kids visit and their online activities. Ask where they?re going, what they?re doing, and who they?re doing it with, just as you would do if they were going out.
• Tell your kids that as a responsible parent you must always reserve the right to review their online and phone communications. You can exercise this sporadically, especially if you think there is reason for concern. Installing parental control filtering software or monitoring programs are one option for monitoring your child?s online behavior, but do not rely solely on these tools.
• Have a sense of what they do online and in texts. Learn about the sites they like. Try out the devices they use.
• Get their passwords.? If appropriate, you can tell them you?ll only use them in case of emergency.
• ?Friend? or ?Follow? your kids on social media sites or ask another trusted adult to do so.
• Encourage your kids to tell you immediately if they, or someone they know, is being cyberbullied. Explain that you will not take away their computers or cell phones if they confide in you about a problem they are having. Make yourself a ?safe zone? for your child.

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Make sure they have a place to turn to. While it is optimal for your child to maintain open lines of communication with their parents, sometimes it may not be the easiest or preferred means from your child?s perspective. Let them know you are always available but also understand who the child may turn to if it is not you. It may be a teacher or counselor at school, an uncle or aunt or a friend?s parent. In any case, make sure they know they should always report bullying behavior to an adult who will act responsibly in your child?s best interest.

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If bullying occurs. Specific steps were discussed in yesterday?s blog post.?But there are steps you can take in case (or before) you child has been victimized to make the consequences less damaging. Giving them a solid self regard and self-esteem can reduce the impact of bullying. Teaching the child coping mechanisms and other life skills will make them more resilient to the harm that can come from cyberbullying. Help them establish a strong friendship with one or several peers. Help their self-esteem and confidence by getting them involved in clubs, hobbies, sports or other affirming activities that can give your child a sense of accomplishment and an offline identity. Confident kids are less likely to be bullied or to feel the negative consequences if it is initiated. If your child has signs of stress, anxiety or depression, do not hesitate to get them professional help.

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Tomorrow: What If Your Kid Is The Cyberbully??

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Award winning Amber Alert GPS, Inc. is a provider of mobile tracking and family and child safety solutions. The company?s founder, Russ Thornton, was motivated to develop the Amber Alert GPS device after a harrowing incident when he lost his young son for 45 minutes at an amusement park. The experience inspired him to develop a product that would not only prevent such incidents from happening, but provide a quick resolution in the event a child did go missing. Click here for more information on this GPS tracker technology.

Source: http://www.amberalertgps.com/blog_entry/cyberbullying-prevention-of-cyberbullying-part-4-of-5/

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