Cyberbullying
© 1995- 2014 . The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth®. Reprinted with permission.
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/cyberbullying.
Parents who believe that their child is being bullied should watch for the following:
- signs of emotional distress during or after using the Internet or the phone
- being very protective or secretive of their digital life
- withdrawal from friends and activities
- avoidance of school or group gatherings
- slipping grades and "acting out" in anger at home
- changes in mood, behavior, sleep, or appetite
If a parent notices that their child is being bullied the article suggests:
- Talk to the child.
- Block the Bully.
- Limit Access to technology.
- Know your child's online world.
If there are children being bullied, then that means that there is a bully lurking out there. I like that this article address the bully too. Parents should not overlook their child bullying another. This article suggests that parents talk to their children about the feelings of others as well as the consequences of bullying.
Cyberbullying is real and children who are bullied often feel that there is no end to the bullying and will go to unthinkable measures to get away from it. It happens everywhere, but we must be equipped as educators to educate not only the students, but parents as well if we are going to put a stop to this before another innocent family is affected.
I like that the article discusses talking to the bully and being aware if your students or your own child are the offender. We seem to focus so much on those being bullied and we rarely think of our own children as the bully. Those are also good sign to know that something might be happening and that you need to address it with the child or parents or both. I hate that it happens and feel so bad for those kids that feel like they have no other choice than to end their lives.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very easy to understand article. I liked how it gave signs to look for in case your child is being bullied, as well as what to do if your own child is the bully. It is important for teachers to recognize these signs as well because our own students could potentially be bullied or, unfortunately, be the bully.
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