As life became digital so did the bullying. Although the percentage of cyberbullying is less than other forms of bullying it is still a major problem, kids and teens face online. The popularity of social networking and online gaming has paved ways for it. It comes in the form of body shaming, hate speech, harsh criticism and negative propaganda on the internet.
As it is online, it spreads fast. It has adverse effects. Kids don’t find any refuge from it because it is constant. It is also to some extent anonymous and stays in the victim’s life for a longer time. Online gaming is the main cause for cyberbullying in middle school going kids and harassment through social media comes later in the teen ages. Almost every child faces it in one way or another. Continuous pestering has terrible effects on a kid’s psyche. They lose their self-esteem and fall into depression.
The Role of Parents
Parents should take preventive measures to protect their kids from the harms of cyberbullying. This can be done by self-check and a parental monitoring app.
Involvement
- Have an open discussion with your kids. This is not a problem to be ignored thinking it will pass. Tell them about the dangers associated with cyber harassment.
- Kids tend to hide such information. Create a friendly environment so that they can come to you if they need you.
- Don’t ignore any complaint against your child. If your child is showing aggression, take it seriously. Support them and give them the necessary help they need.
- Look for any signs of withdrawn behavior and sudden lack of motivation.
Monitoring and Control
Parents must keep a check on their kids to prevent it in time. Keeping a check doesn’t mean snooping through their phones and internet activity. Experts say that parents must have an open dialogue with their kids and do the monitoring with their knowledge. A great way to do it is a parental monitoring app like FamilyTime. It allows you to do the following:
- Keep a check on their text messages, calls and contacts for any sign of harassment.
- See their internet history to know if they are involved in online gaming or chat groups which are the root cause of cyberbullying.
- Check what mobile applications they are using.
- Block social media apps and dangerous sexting applications.
- Keep tabs on their location and manage their screen time.
- Filter adult content
Any kid can get affected by cyberbullying or adopt the offensive habits themselves. No matter how much you talk and educate, it is better to oversee their online behavior. Get FamilyTime today for more control. It is available for Android and iOS devices and can be downloaded from the respective stores.
Get involved- protect
It is vital for parents to know the causes and dangers of cyberbullying and what they can do about it. As it is not possible to keep kids away from technology in this age, also it is not a healthy approach, it is better to supervise their digital life instead. A parental monitoring app is your best tool for monitoring and controlling. Get involved in their lives and stand against cyberbullying.
