5 Things to Tell Your Kids about Cyber-bullying

Our lives have become heavily dependent on internet and especially our children don’t have time to get out of it. The reason for it is that everything they want is just a few clicks away from them. But, this facility has a dark side to it as well which is known as cyber-bullying.
Every day thousands of teens are falling prey to the abominable act of cyber-bullying and this heinous act needs to be stopped. Parents should know that their young ones are vulnerable to cyber-bullying and should act responsibly.
Here is what parents need to do for their kid’s online safety.

  1. Encourage them to share

    Encourage them to share
    Image source: freepik.comAsk them to share all their daily internet activities with you. Heed to any suspicious activity or task they have done and don’t want to go into detail. Tell them not to share their unnecessary details to any stranger online. Also, they should not fill any online form.

  2. Ask them to be confident


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    If someone is threatening them online, tell your children not to retaliate. Make them understand to report immediately to the class teacher, if that person is a fellow student, or to an elder person when at home. Tell them not to lose courage and act confidently.

  3. You are there for them


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    Let them know you are always there for them in any upsetting or inappropriate situation. Don’t shatter their confidence in the event of someone bullying them. Don’t over-react or under-react to any situation, as a parent handle it properly.

  4. Tell them not to respond


    Image source: freepik.com
    In case of your children being bullied online, tell them not to respond to any threats or comments. They should not handle anything on their own. Instead of erasing the messages and emails, keep a record of them to show to the authorities or law enforcing agencies as a proof if required.

  5. Continue their normal routine


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    If a child is a victim of cyber-bullying, encourage him/her to continue their normal routine. Parents should tell them that it is not an alien thing and it is quite normal in the current age. Tell your kids not to feel dejected and they will get over it.

Ms. Maryam Bibi

Psychologist
MSc (Psychology), PDCP (Clinical Psychology), Certified Hypnotherapist (NGH, USA)
Special Interest in Clinical and Counseling Psychology