Parents and educators should be able to know the common warning signs and prevention of cyberbullying. Unfortunately, the rate of cyberbullying is increasing day by day, according to the digital access of a child.
Warning Signs of Cyberbullying
According to the National Crime Prevention Association, cyberbullying occurs when teens send or post text or images by using the Internet, cell phones, or other devices intended to hurt or make ashamed of another individual.
Symptoms of Withdrawal:
Has your child been lethal from his habit? A few symptoms constantly like:
- Wake up later than usual or sleep more,
- Not communicating with close friends?
- Is they Irritability or Restlessness?
- Do they want to avoid something? Or
- showing a depressed mood at home?
First-Hand Cyberbullying:
If you can identify that your child previously experienced bullying first-hand, then the probability of your child being driven online is much higher. Bullies don’t just stop bullying once at one time when they have access to tablets, smartphones, and computers, which let them bully people online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Low Self-Esteem:
Both teachers and parents should be able to notice the symptoms of low self-esteem in a student or a child. It could be as simple as your daughter commenting on being too fat even though she’s a perfectly healthy size.
The emotions of children are not different than the emotions of adults. However, their behavior might be aggressive or passive in asking for help.
More Aggression:
Another cyberbullying warning sign is that your children may be more aggressive than usual. Teachers, are your usually passive students getting involved in verbal or physical altercations at school? Parents, are your sons or daughters stomping around your house and screaming at each other more than usual? It may be another warning sign of online bullying.
Lower Grades:
When kids are cyberbullied, many lose focus on homework and extra-curricular activities. If your A-student gets C’s or D’s regularly, it might bespeak with them about any problems they might be having.
This list contains only a few warning signs of cyberbullying that you should look for. Other warning signs include drug or alcohol use, skipping school, or health problems.
It is essential to remember that as a parent or teacher, your kids should be able to trust you. Make it clear to them that you will provide a safe environment free of judgment, and they will be more likely to open up to you.
Effective ways to prevent cyberbullying
Above 50% of all American teens have been a victim of cyberbullying. So every guardian needs to be aware of it.
Do Not Participate:
This may sound like common sense, but many teens do not realize that they are guilty of cyberbullying by commenting on or sharing offending text or pictures, even if they were not the ones who originally started the bullying. Ensure your kids or students know they should refuse to participate in these actions.
Block the Cyberbully:
Most social networking websites, cell phones, and other messaging applications have functions that will allow a user to block messages or different types of communication from specific individuals. However, it is possible (and relatively easy) for dedicated bullies to create fake profiles and accounts to get around certain blocks.
Direct Action:
Rather than immediately telling an adult about an instance of cyberbullying, students can also ask the bully to stop directly.
Sometimes this form of direct communication can be very effective, but its success depends highly on other variables, including personalities, relationships, and the environment.
Tell An Adult:
One of the stricter actions for a teenage child is telling an adult when a friend or classmate is being bullied. Many students fear possible retaliation by peers when thought of as a ‘tattle-tale.’ If a student, educators or officials bring up an issue should do their best to protect the whistleblower’s anonymity.
Preventative or Proactive Education for Cyberbullying:
There are not a whole lot of teenagers who will sit down at their computers and research cyberbullying. That means parents and educators must take a proactive approach to educating kids about cyberbullying.
Teach them ways to identify, prevent, and report cyberbullying and let them know that they should feel safe reporting bullying to a trusted adult.
Cyberbullying affects children daily,, and some have even gone as far as to take their own lives because of it. Please share this information with your children or students.
Tell them this rule of thumb: If they wouldn’t say it in person, they shouldn’t say it online.