PARENTING Q & A | HOW TO KEEP THE KIDS SAFE FROM CYBERBULLYING WITH CYBER SAFE KIDS
As our children are introduced to the online world, through tablets, devices, smart tech, gaming, smartphones, or social media – this brings a host of positives and negatives. It’s never a guarantee but there are children and young people that experience cyberbullying online daily. If this is something you are concerned about before they have an independent device then the topic of cyberbullying awareness is something as parents and caregivers, you need to talk about with your children before it happens. The ideal time is when your child starts using social media for the first time, when they are moving from primary to secondary school, or in some homes it may be at a younger age, and continue these conversations regularly thereafter. Cyberbullying education is an important consideration that each family unit should take.
This type of bullying is increasingly common and is continuously evolving. Cyberbullying on social media is bullying mainly carried out using the internet and mobile phone technologies. Being the target of inappropriate or hurtful messages is the most common form of cyberbullying for kids.
Keeping Kids Safe from Cyberbullying
I recently spoke to CyberSafeKids, who are an Irish Charity who were set up in 2015 with the mission to empower children, parents, and teachers to navigate the online world in a stronger, smarter, and safer way. They do this primarily through the delivery of educational programmes to children, but also through raising awareness amongst parents, teachers, and the wider public and engaging policy makers because they all play a key role in any solution.
They focus on children aged 8 - 13 years old, when they are often first starting to use technology and access online content independently and when we have a greater chance of influencing their online behaviour.
Check out 9 top tips to managing screen time & keeping your child safe online
What are the signs of Cyberbullying?
Withdrawn from the things that usually make them happy
Changes in sleeping habits
Changes in eating habits
Not wanting to spend time with friends
Scared to go online
What are the variations of Cyberbullying?
Exclusion or nasty behaviour in chat groups
Harsh comments on YouTube videos or other posts
Setting up fake profiles to target people
Taking photos without permission or using images/videos
‘Bandwagoning’ – which is when a group starts to conform or join in, like it’s the ‘cool’ thing to do.
What are the effects of Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is bullying using technology, kids may not understand the impact of their online actions and how it can seriously impact on another child’s mental health and wellbeing, but it does. Like normal bullying. It is 24 / 7 so even harder on kids as it can happen 24/7 and 365 days of the year.
Tips for parents to keep the kids safe from cyberbullying
Set accounts to ‘Private’ to control audience
Have their password and check their account - you are allowing them to use these apps and they ideally should not be under the age of twelve
Check their friends lists
Switch off Location Settings on most apps
Research the content of apps before downloading and accessing
Use offline world analogies and develop longer-term thinking about cyberbullying consequences
How to help kids deal with Cyberbullying
Stay calm, respond positively, and reassure them
Encourage them to talk openly and discuss options
Advise that they don’t respond or delete to messages from others – screenshot for evidence
Use online blocking and reporting mechanisms that are available in all apps
Check out privacy settings on their online profiles and accounts
Talk to the child’s school, and the Gardaí if involving serious harassment, threat of harm or indecent images or videos
Cyberbullying can happen to anyone. It’s always wrong and it should never be overlooked or ignored. You know your child better than anyone else. It means you are best placed to identify and deal with any cyberbullying they may encounter. As a parent of a pre-teen, I worry about what lies ahead for him in the evolving world of social media and communication via technology. This is part of our children’s lives, so it’s how best we can protect them. There are plenty of resources and sources of information for parents on how to set parental controls and boundaries for children, be sure to familiarise yourself with them before they enter the online world.
Useful Resources:
If you are feeling overwhelmed or facing challenges with your children, I am here to help. I offer tailored 1 to 1 parent support sessions or corporate parenting talks. Get in touch with me today at aoife@parentsupport.ie, I offer eLearning Parenting Courses on Positive Parenting and Managing Screen Time & Device Use which will help support you in the challenges you may be facing.