Cyber Bullying- using electronic
media to purposely harm another person.
Do you remember when you were a kid it was super cool to have
a phone in your bedroom? I know that my
friends and I were not always using our phones responsibly (three way calling,
prank phone calls, etc.) and this sometimes caused problems for us
socially. Nowadays with computers,
tablets, cell phones, and online video games, communication between children is
much more complicated. Kids are
bombarded with opportunities to interact with others through texting, video
games, apps, and websites and unfortunately sometimes can turn into cyber
bullying. As a counselor I am seeing
that these bullying situations are carrying over from home to school and
impacting students’ personal relationships as well as the overall learning
environment here at Alameda. As parents
we can help our children navigate these situations by being aware of the
electronic activities, educating ourselves about their cyber world, and
creating rules around online behavior. Here
is a list of ways you can prevent your child from being the perpetrator,
target, or bystander in a cyber bullying situation.
1. Teach your child how to be safe online. Tell them not
to share any personal information or pictures without parent permission. Talk to your kids frequently about their
electronic interactions and how they can be upstanders for themselves or others
when they encounter bullying. Teach them
to report to adults.
2. Monitor all devices and read the history of each one.
Know the sites and games that your children are using and make sure all
are age appropriate.
3. Create family rules around time limits and internet usage.
Consider rules that only allow access to devices when an adult is in the
room. Put restrictions on sites or games
that allow people to participate anonymously.
4. Stay informed.
Social media is constantly changing so talk to other parents about the new games
and sites that are popular with their children.
Visit and get to know the sites and games they are using.
Thanks for your time
and support!
Sincerely,
Anna Tofel
School Counselor
Link to PPS cyber bullying policy and information:
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