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Cyberbullying: What can parents do?
6&277 $,5)25&( %$6(,OO ³According to the their children and address the topic of cyberbullying with them afterward to see if the bullying stopped, and give
Pew Research Center, in 2000, about half of adults in the them, even if your child does not mention any problems,” the student advice. Parents can also follow these same
U.S. were online and only 3 percent of American households White said. guidelines: listen to children, check in with them often,
were using broadband for Internet access at home. That and tell them what they could or should do.
number increased and in 2014, Pew reported 87 percent First, talk with children about making themselves safe
of American adults use the Internet. online. According to www.stopbullying.gov, a website man- “The best tack parents can take when their child is cy-
aged by the Department of Health and Human Services berbullied is to make sure their child feels safe and secure,
Today, the Internet is readily available and can be eas- website, online accounts should be made private. Each type convey unconditional love and support,” White said.
ily accessed on smartphones. Even teenagers and children of account, like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, have ways
have access to the Internet. This ease of access to infor- to make them private. Go over those privacy settings with Students also reported in the same study that telling the
mation has changed the world for the better, but it has them to keep their posts and photos safe. person to stop or it hurts their feelings, walking away, or
also brought with it many new threats — one of which is pretending it doesn’t bother them, had the most negative
cyberbullying. Some basic rules can also keep children safe online. impact on getting help while or after being targeted by
Decide what rules children need to follow, and then go bullying.
“Children have been bullying each other throughout the over them. The Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
ages,” said William White, 375th Medical Group Family tion recommends telling children to never give out their Finally, if a child tells their parent they are being bul-
Advocacy Program outreach manager. “However, today’s personal information. If a friend or loved one needs their lied, the parent needs to act, White said. The parent should
generation has been able to use technology and social media information, they recommend calling the person directly contact the school and possibly the authorities. Parents
to expand their reach and the extent of their harm. It is and not putting it online, even in a message. need to believe their children and do what is necessary to
important for parents and children to understand cyber- help their children when they are being bullied.
EXOO\LQJLVZLOOIXODQGUHSHDWHGKDUPLQÁLFWHGWKURXJKWKH The CDC also recommends children never add people to
use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices, their friend list they don’t know. There are many fake social “Document and report cyberbullying,” White said. “Do
and can cause serious harm.” media accounts and children should be taught to beware not delete or erase messages that pertain to cyberbullying.
of them. It is also recommended children do not initiate The authorities can use it to possibly prosecute the person
Family advocacy along with the youth center and the contact with people they do not know. who is doing the bullying.”
Healthy Military Children initiative want to give parents
the tools they need to prevent cyberbullying and to stop Next, parents should tell their children what to do if
it if it does occur. they are being cyberbullied, stalked or harassed. The CDC
recommends parents assure their children they can come
“Cyberbullying is a form of teen violence that can and to them with any situation, even if the child was doing
does do serious damage,” White said. “Our kids are being something they knew they shouldn’t have been doing,
hurt by this. With this class, we’re going to give parents such as going on a forbidden website or using their phone
the terminology and statistics to understand what is hap- after curfew.
pening, so they can recognize it and stop it.
PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center reported
“Due to the complexities associated with social behavior students surveyed in 2010 reported the most helpful things
and online cyberbullying, it is important parents talk with teachers can do are: listen to the student, check in with
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