Cyber Bullying

www.pediatricsafety.net/.../cyberbullying-knowing-the-signs-can-save-your- child/

www.hazelden.org/web/public/rmmay10_bullying.page

kidshealth.org › Parents › Positive Parenting

Bullying today is not the same as it was when most of us were growing up. Today bullying is a very serious and sometimes a deadly thing. With technology at children’s fingers, they have become bold and more hurtful with their words and actions. Sadly, at times parents have lowered themselves to a child’s level of bullying with the help of technology. Cyber bullying is bullying through email, instant messaging, chat room exchanges, or digital messages/images sent by a cellular phone or personal digital assistant. Cyber bullying, is similar to the traditional bullying that most parents have seen growing up in that it involves an imbalance of power, aggression, and a negative action that at times repeated. Research has shown that most children will not tell an adult if cyber bullying is happening to them. Therefore, it is up to parents, teachers, and caregivers to look for any warning signs of cyber bullying in their child or student. Some signs to look for are nervous when an e-mail or text message appears, decrease in academic performance, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, spend long hours on-line, or withdrawn from friends. Most schools have established procedures for responding to cyber bullying. Parents can take measures such as putting a block on the computer; limit your child’s access to the Internet, and knowing your child’s friends and what sites they visit to help reduce their chance of being a victim of cyber bullying. If your child is, cyber-bullying parents should explain how their actions affect others, and in severe cases seek professional help for their child.